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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# |% L. P9 S. s Heaven
' W3 H$ K) F( @. w$ k3 {8 s. X The pebble is worn smooth
! g* G( w3 h( d4 \4 O: Q5 B* E/ ~4 J Made small over time
, I2 A0 H! }: _ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
* n: V9 V2 p3 { A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
  G+ N( z0 R9 k5 _5 |# n+ G But just a very small stone.
$ M, R  q8 Z% ~2 A) Q% `
+ ?- o5 W6 u/ w2 u" s The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
  l& `* \+ M0 R7 B+ Z2 W Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

9 @7 E, {. A0 I: i, g' P0 K& x The instant the pebble kisses the pond
  p5 X+ B" [' [5 }' C" Q' n0 U; Z Its signature of concentric ripples
/ O, M, Q8 ^* \" w Spiral outwards
5 N/ O+ J. M% n0 g Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
$ N: l( a  w& L; l* e Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
5 M8 s* d2 M( ~  g+ L6 ]6 P That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
/ y  t  w; e; y9 f" f7 l$ v$ Z
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' B& d  X" j- j  H/ x Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
, B& a" v3 e! o! T* J that leave unique mark on our world
, N) I# P8 Y5 C: S% c% m Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
% M2 `7 E1 X7 p- Z6 \ But because of actions.
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3 `" t. n/ g3 V3 X* n# [ Our life's prayers our answered
7 y6 k/ |: D$ W( ~" `$ Q, `$ E Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
% S3 j$ k2 I; R, @- {, b Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
+ c, y3 O6 _. s9 p$ M; W We will gently leave this life
! ?# k7 Q/ R- f; D2 H! Q- v With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03