Heaven

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Seven years ago I was asked by a friend if I was "religious and if I believed in God?" As a (formerly) practicing agnostic I quickly answered:"no." However, I defended myself by explaining that I lived my life according to universal principals of "right and wrong" (as I understood them). Because I believed that our deeds create a lasting effect on the world, I felt confident in my everlasting future. In other words, I wasn't worried about there being a heaven or not. I told my friend that when I die, I am banking on knowing that my impact on the world will be ever lasting. My "heaven" will ultimately be the creation of the the sum total of all my actions.
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* P7 G# R9 ]) M# b5 v/ b I will never forget my friend's response: he looked at me with glassy eyes, and told me how deeply spiritual I was. I didn't see it. It took five more years to see what he meant. Such was the inspiration of the following poem I wrote.
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; C& ]! }* c& E/ [ Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
7 X: O& \4 u+ l8 v. O8 A Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
& `. ?8 W- X* t1 l( m3 P' B A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
2 h! G! ~% C5 p7 h) |9 N# }+ |8 d An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
/ O9 [" [8 \: o/ i+ F6 @/ L8 X Is neither understood nor appreciated
: j) ^' q! I8 M+ z4 P But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
  [' @! A2 f) |0 [5 w) ^" p Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
: z( Y$ T- ^; ?! j. ~. n Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
* j9 S( m8 i( i" O# [ Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
' d" r7 s( V7 ?# q7 M By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
6 I/ s0 _4 Y* A Creating karmic energy
  ?" N3 f3 I$ _+ X$ W) F4 e0 |3 `  K Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
$ e+ n) A: |  @: X2 _ That who we are meant to be
( ]/ x  ~. X1 [ Can never be measured in isolation
# g/ H, R, V- y( `0 k on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
% x* [. a  K& i" X Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
4 i. |7 M0 |, M6 F% Q" t6 z Creating ripples
7 r1 b8 g! ^& b that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
1 O2 y6 v9 H- B8 a: ] not because of well meaning plans
' n: t- C; |% C9 N, B* l( t. z But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
/ z9 ]+ h& n* Q; P) @! ^ Changes the course of the lives
* B- s: U/ A5 t2 `3 r- d4 ` Of those we touch.?
* J6 R  x7 [, C4 Y, M6 s
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
/ \& E4 ]9 F# s8 r' g8 l With the knowledge that
' h* z1 B6 k$ @( U0 H; G. E because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
$ M( y1 A# a- P$ B% z, ~ 8/18/03