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.

# C* N7 |! Y/ [2 F+ }' z% d1 ? 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.

' d% Q5 O) a  \9 A0 k0 r, K Heaven
! K. A# p: e1 T2 x The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! C" c  L7 ~# [$ b An accidental offspring of a boulder
- d- o9 I& g( P; ^ But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
) R! w  Q9 a1 I* R. S/ k Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
5 a. q% ], S4 w7 O; z8 R' J Its insignificance is transformed
0 J9 c( _4 `( }9 y! K4 |) @ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
: O! e# A1 l( P0 p# j/ s7 Y
. {' \* l6 B7 S' v% u3 \. G The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
- j( k, I" A2 g5 P2 X) J Spiral outwards
4 w# }5 m5 E1 m7 ` Moving far beyond itself.
, u  c( @& Z& G' l3 K6 Z; G Gently affecting everything in its wake
$ A' I0 Y) O/ Y' O& ~4 i( o' O. V Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
, c5 |) S0 z+ B1 v: @ By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
* H- J/ g8 z1 C/ Y5 y( A- D3 W Creating karmic energy
& f7 M( G0 P: h' ? Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
' b5 H9 P- X3 }4 j4 U8 V. I
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
- Q' K8 S- H8 W But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
9 e/ Y* J" r, W  J! t Can never be measured in isolation
  N1 y$ j0 H4 H on a path into ourselves.

) u. b% D! X! g* r  f It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
" t$ K. h8 P% c/ G Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
  j5 W/ ~2 P7 S$ f" v9 [) A( ^ that leave unique mark on our world
' N9 v9 k/ d) f5 l" [4 t" ~) w  y2 U Not because of thoughts
7 S) x9 a3 j! F0 N+ J5 I not because of well meaning plans
5 r+ Z( G- a$ H8 @$ F7 M But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
8 `) m: Z; w" q+ x: T- P1 J+ ` Because even the smallest pebble
. f( G' q9 u3 I/ b* p% m8 W$ T, m No matter how seemingly insignificant
5 ~" w1 F+ t1 W9 H  L0 k Changes the course of the lives
" e8 E2 q# k' X3 c+ g Of those we touch.?
% H' g, [/ P+ D! {  z7 O
4 J2 n' [8 @( n& Z$ d) _. V5 A And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
$ l! C7 S0 U9 S" O: S We will gently leave this life
' a7 S5 u4 y2 i6 C9 x6 l! g With the knowledge that
0 i2 R' K" p7 G+ \4 l' ` because of that one pebble
8 y' l' w" T2 g  X The world will never be the same.
2 C- B; V. P: K
And then we have heaven …
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7 G0 s2 a1 o; e0 w% g  t/ O Ross Rosenberg
4 T- H. I% G; R$ Z, \& q; q 8/18/03