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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' Z$ l- j9 V  V- f Heaven
* u6 R. N+ O; q2 o The pebble is worn smooth
& r4 C! r6 g' i4 k. h5 ^; A1 ? Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 M2 ?+ t) N8 @  U0 ]$ L A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
# _' P& ~" n! G6 ]/ G An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
0 p5 B! p  `5 P: i7 W Is neither understood nor appreciated
/ D8 [3 `: q) R# k' d5 T But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
- L" c7 s4 g6 w( I' {5 V7 f) o  L Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
# J7 l" A4 D9 ?' r* E% D Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
/ ]9 o: ~) a. f9 e2 X) {. y7 X& { Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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* M2 Y0 W. D" ?' i% I& p$ u5 x The pebble creates its worth and meaning
$ W8 S- N# s1 Z- Y& s- H By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
  t7 }6 z, {5 X+ E- E. H* a1 | Creating karmic energy
( E" c. q! I, X7 k& H# N' ~8 n5 ` Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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5 L# {. s% c/ |/ R2 v Aren't we all pebbles?
  b5 w7 G' j4 v$ B! m8 { Feeling small and insignificant
) `& ~1 l1 p% {' B But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
: A7 v% j$ l& a& u' V1 ^4 E Can never be measured in isolation
: j5 q9 ?$ ]  ~. m2 a0 A) |( v on a path into ourselves.

1 i$ B/ Q* |) C7 q It is true then:
Our everlasting future
7 B( x9 X8 J) w Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' B9 Y* l; C/ J. I: v Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
/ i- e4 L% p2 n* k8 N; B0 R not because of well meaning plans
0 |  u& z& {" ?, x# s But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
' O" I, e* }8 W Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
4 Q* K8 U4 O% D+ a4 m We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
, s! h# q% i: z4 v# v% {8 Y because of that one pebble
! f$ r1 u! x# F1 r# ? The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

3 j; M! h9 ]$ z" _7 B Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03