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.

' n' i) t" C. s2 K1 d8 t4 f+ P 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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Heaven
5 T/ Z! _5 C) l3 a! X6 d The pebble is worn smooth
. U& g9 B, H! s# M( I! T3 @ Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
' b* v5 O( q: d+ p Is neither understood nor appreciated
) F/ b( ^  K5 [' ?) ?3 \* c But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
3 C9 d5 [8 w0 {' i Its insignificance is transformed
  Z/ m5 c! X/ @% z Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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! Q) N7 R& I3 c1 g3 g( ]/ m9 Z7 ^ The instant the pebble kisses the pond
- t0 ?; l, |; I1 d( N  d Its signature of concentric ripples
' F/ _5 j. u* U2 E Spiral outwards
3 b. Y) l: k0 F! s Moving far beyond itself.
# ]8 F1 C5 _5 u  x$ ^2 m" J Gently affecting everything in its wake
# y/ D2 Q* j) ^3 I$ D Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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+ a7 |9 M2 R  z$ b8 U& k1 o The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
8 W9 q  W. |3 v) g& a! P  { Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
  R( Y* c$ q7 x8 d" Z Feeling small and insignificant
& L$ o1 {( k# {9 Q But ultimately recognizing
) D6 A% R/ s7 L' J& [, t That who we are meant to be
; Q' V  \" @% M+ X Can never be measured in isolation
3 E; {) E( `2 d) ?3 l3 S4 Q5 ^ on a path into ourselves.

4 J/ f0 H5 V* y2 {, }. h6 a- a It is true then:
- r9 E2 B+ K# Y* Y3 `0 t  o Our everlasting future
. [( r2 Q' K* a5 E7 K Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
$ O8 c5 @0 L; ]+ E Into the pond of life
" ]8 Y! z' p. |2 ~1 v7 y# U* v6 L Creating ripples
5 E* Q6 r& V! G( h+ [# y that leave unique mark on our world
  k6 D. _6 W- m5 M8 T Not because of thoughts
! w4 O" P6 j5 w: v5 Y3 D4 v8 f$ `) R not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
* r1 l) O4 b9 M% n2 p Because even the smallest pebble
' I( v* A4 L7 }( Y* ? No matter how seemingly insignificant
  V6 f* t0 s: S4 H+ h7 r' n, ^" h Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

: I* i( P; t5 @ 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
9 t; X! z" H. j The world will never be the same.
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* ~7 J; L0 X. ]- A And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
  \. V: \/ v0 i$ }8 y 8/18/03