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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8 f7 P( R- {* ?, _ 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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. p4 x' k( q9 v7 Y Heaven
( N9 [& B( [1 j& o6 q5 I( \1 @3 M3 ^ The pebble is worn smooth
8 T, }) c$ j, H- o; }3 S Made small over time
5 X% |# j8 m8 T& k) f A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
1 ^. T  Z' N' C, n  {7 ?) f0 t A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
% u: g: g' ~) w( z But just a very small stone.
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4 q9 F+ d7 i- K  j1 E" f- f The pebble's place in our world
3 B* Y) b- E7 g- D; {: r" W Is neither understood nor appreciated
, H7 V" F: s0 W  b% W- F0 N2 [ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
) V% L, l3 y/ K' Z6 \! x8 _$ u Its insignificance is transformed
9 }5 e) |% r. j& I3 O Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
% U; [& \/ E1 H% t6 ]$ b Its signature of concentric ripples
4 R* X2 K6 @3 L$ g Spiral outwards
, u1 y: {' C+ t- } Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

% x& l, ^8 ^& r1 q4 H1 u" n The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
( J8 I$ Q. |) J1 F: n Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

5 t) a# b7 q- ]( P Aren't we all pebbles?
1 D! U+ x9 o" X- i Feeling small and insignificant
; _" A& c2 Q% s But ultimately recognizing
% v: T6 F% E7 J/ U( G6 ~9 B That who we are meant to be
8 O8 k: V+ J+ g- `; Q Can never be measured in isolation
. J0 k, B/ ]( K. ]5 u on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
  y, p1 b. a8 t; Y" m Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
3 E$ v5 Q  E/ J; {% F Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
- J' b4 F4 z7 ~7 r3 J But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
9 E7 g- D" P3 g# r No matter how seemingly insignificant
! K) D/ t+ @! g Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

( R4 }+ `  x) f5 f And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
/ N8 ]9 o, z' r2 \/ p The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

2 g* M2 f0 }$ A% I5 o; r8 s Ross Rosenberg
1 ?0 ~7 `& H, X$ b( B: T 8/18/03