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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$ C& W% C9 Z: o) _7 N6 W  ? 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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- J8 t& P) d% [% J8 Y1 g0 ` Heaven
" h4 ]9 k) f8 p, K The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
+ w; L7 w3 V! f2 X. N, u. e A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! q# `; u) i- j6 L An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
. C2 D5 @  S9 c. l1 c, a Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
; J  A( G& j4 B' z Its insignificance is transformed
  Q5 l0 M3 V" n# e/ h; p% g Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
3 f$ b5 I, p8 w: i- {9 L6 [) i6 n Its signature of concentric ripples
8 r( y) R$ H4 `+ e Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
0 M7 V) K7 n5 v7 I Gently affecting everything in its wake
% ]' Z4 l0 Y: r Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
' q% D! Y9 B3 q1 v6 d/ \2 A By unleashing its unimagined power?
1 A* {" @1 X4 o2 b$ g  Y3 \' i Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
6 f0 Y' w, o5 k8 ?, V Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
8 e5 |! Y9 W" p/ ~  ^: {2 X( v$ S But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
- C+ G/ h! D- d+ r Can never be measured in isolation
. U# n! ^. \/ i4 `' x& }$ N0 h on a path into ourselves.
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! q3 t8 L- m6 t It is true then:
5 H' `+ D% a% ]+ f Our everlasting future
  \  ~8 L( @9 w$ U Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
2 o' f: R+ }0 Z- s Not because of thoughts
: B1 e. E3 n2 M% ` not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

; U+ m8 }( L5 k0 i& Q4 X Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
( l$ \" S* u3 `$ n3 y9 x! q: S/ J# M No matter how seemingly insignificant
. _7 F. H+ S* x8 @7 z Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

: `" F9 `! j- a' G* k0 }3 i; N And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
) W# j( Y& T. d& ]* a# M We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
+ l: h2 }$ u  \. c/ q because of that one pebble
2 y( }4 j& S. c# L$ U The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03