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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+ S# Q$ d% {. J3 a8 k( r9 _ 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.
2 \" I  h  l) O, R% Q
Heaven
$ V& _" ^: i/ |" L The pebble is worn smooth
) z+ T4 m" V7 k8 D5 K( ^$ @. h5 ] Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
% x1 J( O9 T; G) ^ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
% i) y7 f1 J1 F  [" Q An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

2 ^/ n0 n* {9 `$ r8 i# T The pebble's place in our world
( t) w  u, d8 G% j: W7 U9 E" N Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
; [; [( S! r! t2 g+ O Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
& W) A3 X+ F. V; L' M+ ?5 y! R
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
0 h. S' r0 K0 z% K6 u- B0 z4 R Spiral outwards
5 B. d' u( D' \6 E% R; r' r' {4 B Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
# E! ~8 a: r3 D- P$ `! N Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
/ ?) h. E5 p- ^8 p  S) R0 S
9 ?+ z& p/ a1 J. T9 K' W9 y The pebble creates its worth and meaning
/ p5 b  w% o/ D6 H- b5 \ By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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5 w1 b# p/ [4 W+ |% E7 w Aren't we all pebbles?
6 {+ Y0 E2 H( ]8 G5 U- D+ Y; v Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
  L5 O5 B" e/ Q That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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& T8 ~4 d4 X1 A" D/ f It is true then:
' d; A: G( F4 h; v7 Q Our everlasting future
4 C, _  |( Y! V9 C2 Z$ G- U Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
, N4 M$ |9 M4 x% ^( z" c# n Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
. v' s* _4 S$ } Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
2 a6 N" h# x9 n  _" e Changes the course of the lives
* V' J$ P1 k; I! J, ~8 ]4 V2 b Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
" z2 g$ `( \9 F( g We will gently leave this life
6 _2 z& p5 u6 E  V6 m/ }/ @! x With the knowledge that
# L* ?. p1 Y& ~ because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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- ]3 E% N3 q* @. [4 {; O* y7 A Ross Rosenberg
3 H  s4 t0 k& K9 C" r 8/18/03