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.

" d0 e% {" h! `% N 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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9 R: a8 {! m/ @8 d: `. v1 e( } Heaven
& b4 v; @9 Z) Z8 E! Y- G* T0 Y) e' C The pebble is worn smooth
  K% ?, K3 t3 \& V1 N Made small over time
! }7 ~. P* h4 a 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.

  o6 j: F5 [4 E, Z3 c& Y- \ The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
! K  l3 G, P% `7 B) U2 z3 o" q But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
3 @/ A3 v# f6 {. |6 H3 J! R# S Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

! y/ f0 T0 N5 q" D, I The instant the pebble kisses the pond
4 N# [0 _5 j- V1 e" ] Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
7 g/ R4 E& e& o) l# _ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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1 O# k: U" G% \6 K The pebble creates its worth and meaning
( L2 t, x/ K7 t; N4 {4 \/ @ By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
) ]5 L, q' E/ p4 ~4 G Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

4 W; l% t; `* x5 u) d8 U* B Aren't we all pebbles?
+ Y0 `3 P! d6 l Feeling small and insignificant
) w5 Y. z. s# Z+ ^. V0 Y4 q But ultimately recognizing
* u; U$ ?5 y5 [& _. u, w That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
5 V- N5 }% f8 n  h% C on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
3 s" V7 g3 J8 a0 Q$ ?: X Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
! U6 ~0 D6 P7 d  j+ H Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
- y3 v, b! A: n8 T not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
8 N1 u8 o! T: M5 Z. a% t Because even the smallest pebble
' M, V. |  i9 J: \/ F No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
" ?" B! y$ D1 b* c7 {" B beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
* T" [; {6 I0 S: s/ a The world will never be the same.
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+ |' t+ c7 R! Z% U" s4 g6 N2 `  ] And then we have heaven …
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, Y& s+ r, W  U* h  v! @! N Ross Rosenberg
( P4 M, i0 O6 k( `* f% t& d 8/18/03