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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0 R- x# \" i5 k+ \$ W 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.

1 `) v3 j" w8 I$ G4 s/ k8 a6 B Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
: W1 Z1 m0 u, Q2 K; f% h 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
2 v* \0 j8 N' r4 {6 {  P3 e But just a very small stone.
0 h! w; V3 d* B; j1 w  z7 Z4 _
! R" D4 P& n% }' V. b3 L- k The pebble's place in our world
; w! l8 G9 V: J; |2 ^ Is neither understood nor appreciated
1 U( k; B# a' N9 \! L' g( L But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
/ q5 Q  r; t' B5 u Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
+ c/ k- u6 r% u Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
% N( x. o8 W. q3 O1 ^! {" X Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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8 k8 H1 j  S1 I1 s3 y The pebble creates its worth and meaning
+ ~. @% i" ^, ~$ O- F: S8 P) F By unleashing its unimagined power?
4 X  a5 Z& B/ H1 d; E$ l' e7 m Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
1 S& O9 t- [; D1 z, a2 I# F Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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7 Y- T1 k" t8 t- `" E, X Aren't we all pebbles?
5 }8 _  Q; _( C/ @% u6 g2 |- q Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
3 P8 ~" Z/ C& V1 [ Can never be measured in isolation
. a) _* _& s" l5 G2 |1 q* C5 c9 J+ k. u1 ^ on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
$ _5 h3 R. d; L* o& {. `2 d Our everlasting future
! {7 S1 q' A7 K; K- c Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
0 C; \2 R# ?; n5 \% F- K Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
! D5 l" y6 r" T+ J2 b, Z5 ?* ` not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
1 Z- Z6 P9 n6 {; _) l+ t/ x) T Because even the smallest pebble
0 L' ^( E- J$ f& i2 Z No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
/ h$ D7 ]/ {, _& j: { Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
( m2 e9 R1 H7 h: L1 ^3 L6 N% u because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

: M# x5 A2 G% i7 e; Z And then we have heaven …
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1 I0 K- \- f1 N6 P4 o9 X Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03