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.
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3 T; s/ [+ Z: F1 R9 ]/ v Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
6 c, X/ G* J8 b; q; |5 o$ t5 D( Q Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
$ b/ a  ]) y$ e A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
# O1 B% ]) B" d+ @9 p4 I7 r But just a very small stone.

- p6 a# S7 H1 y  ^# t3 _ The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
- U$ M1 d$ m! O: m But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( g: o' r1 d; y9 V: a* K Its insignificance is transformed
2 @" H; k$ S* e# `  T, r9 F) w* Q Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

; W8 L# S. P, S! I The instant the pebble kisses the pond
2 B% i) @7 a& J: p6 H Its signature of concentric ripples
2 n" {9 a, @9 ?/ a Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
; b/ ]  J7 v& B1 d: M! t Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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& w& Q1 ]3 c: t3 M  k9 O1 i- a, X! C The pebble creates its worth and meaning
: H, U# f8 I( u! c1 r By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
" q# q) A( X+ z0 y2 G* Z. v Creating karmic energy
9 }8 z. q5 o( ^% ] Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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* y: X4 d  I& ^' S8 P  |& k0 e Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
9 u( O7 s" `% `4 v But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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, F8 S- l4 S1 m. w9 t8 _ It is true then:
Our everlasting future
8 n" c6 w# z3 y- R8 T0 k/ }: p% { Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
4 U" @- l; r) L Creating ripples
; a; }6 s# p  H3 s& N that leave unique mark on our world
6 v+ H  _6 x2 t; ?( Y1 `& W* g Not because of thoughts
7 i  O( t1 B5 R* R/ r- d not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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2 E7 Z: M" ?0 ]9 Z' W8 z- P Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
  |3 G1 M$ |, |1 ]5 u7 R- \2 B) \ No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 o$ ]- N8 I" a2 n3 C% G6 t: k2 W Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
6 z/ w3 r6 c8 k! t) k With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
$ {  |& S1 Q$ }  W+ A' S/ n* w The world will never be the same.

+ M" }9 u3 n. h; d! O# q# U And then we have heaven …
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0 c) ~7 g6 x; A- Z  w# @- b Ross Rosenberg
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