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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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.

0 n, i6 X3 a$ k- e5 b& S: B Heaven
* \. ]( v! r' t* e' F: e The pebble is worn smooth
* `$ r- d2 D& m) p( j3 z$ ]- D" o 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
, N6 _' M5 l5 }+ t3 C But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
& h4 x/ M* n7 ^$ y6 b# G, [ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
/ S8 v, |2 s) g$ c7 o5 M2 u Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
# j( v& q" n4 N, g Spiral outwards
3 y8 ^. ~1 t, H1 x- z7 G/ t- _0 S* k Moving far beyond itself.
# n& a% t& J2 [. y! m: Y Gently affecting everything in its wake
1 ?  d2 s1 R' T% ~7 R- m3 r Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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# ]9 i/ h, J- r* l9 J3 N" L The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
  Z, B3 T+ c( y; y Creating karmic energy
# q! [' U; P0 d! Y/ o Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

4 @6 V! a( }  o% S Aren't we all pebbles?
0 e4 P2 ]4 _4 B5 r Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
# z/ Y/ X( j  M, M8 i$ I4 \ That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
3 n$ v$ ?% ^$ p0 x4 S Our everlasting future
& f; Q+ C$ ^, y- k4 f Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
" X6 U5 w# H3 k( Z9 |' ` Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
5 p/ a$ [% C8 C that leave unique mark on our world
2 n9 n6 y# N9 Y' I6 n' k$ \7 C  O# g Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
9 Y# V; X+ X- z Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
3 W7 k6 W/ P' L7 }' p1 { Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
4 k$ Q3 c( r, H5 f beckon our lasting attention
2 }' c# _8 ?. j, G1 W* {9 x We will gently leave this life
$ _" L4 W: m8 ~; y3 c+ r& T With the knowledge that
8 {! @% k! m" h1 @7 c+ p because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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5 I" Q( V4 `6 V6 ^0 ? Ross Rosenberg
5 e& A( _4 X( X1 @8 @ 8/18/03