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.

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
8 Q$ E5 G& m$ M9 p2 A The pebble is worn smooth
: H0 y# e' e! d+ F) E( i& Z4 b9 b 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
) X( a; U9 k" R( N But just a very small stone.

, A* a! e+ h- c The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
7 g  w1 O- T; m: K' Z& b4 o3 F But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
. I/ z& w7 G0 O" F! A& T Its insignificance is transformed
' j7 ^6 K$ S# t7 u1 R8 k Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
' k7 t# p3 y  o: U. L2 Z% O
; I1 |& f0 W- j. f The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
( u6 {8 I- p0 z9 }: ~- z' q: J Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
; x/ t& g: s, a+ B Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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$ `) e3 U5 F+ b- Y; K+ o The pebble creates its worth and meaning
* Z0 o% L/ Z) }3 v) U, H By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
, V+ |3 @' L! V+ |4 O$ a' a) q Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
8 \3 }2 z+ a: P Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
% b1 U  {$ c3 L5 c That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
: O& G4 a6 B9 E: q: B8 [/ O- ~; | on a path into ourselves.

6 \% Z! ~$ U; G0 D It is true then:
# q5 C4 g  P1 V5 `2 K7 p+ D6 k- Q  G Our everlasting future
9 O+ B' C5 F& [7 y- C Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
9 p& F+ o( |4 } Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
( C6 Z- y4 l) v7 }+ L" C5 x9 \ But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
0 h6 T0 E! w+ E) C Because even the smallest pebble
, ?) c0 k' v; O- S( S2 {5 j! [ No matter how seemingly insignificant
; h$ P: w3 Q+ j* m+ P Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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; d8 h  h; }. {  f/ W And when the icy winds of death
& ^* l1 C+ g5 l# Z beckon our lasting attention
5 X  b7 Z4 _+ e) D( ]1 C! ~8 L1 @: Q We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
/ A: M& L. \% W The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03