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.

- m: T' r' _2 z: N: `, f/ m% A 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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Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
3 M  [; f/ Y4 B: \' [: \1 R  x( X1 F 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 w- ]& v$ L) n1 E; L# g But just a very small stone.

" M2 X3 y3 m. a+ N$ | The pebble's place in our world
3 ]7 c8 L7 h7 X# }& ~+ O. ]. Q3 N* F Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
% z! I' [5 I& i. `# W 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
; i5 ~6 l; r! ?5 m Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
( Z, t( v) o, j& O7 Y" q/ @ Gently affecting everything in its wake
" s8 Z0 v% G( S  u9 G Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
. t7 t- ?; T# i) q Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
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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: k! t5 O9 ]8 l0 \: [2 t It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
+ F8 [. Y& i1 Y- a) C! Y$ H Into the pond of life
# D" _0 e) ^# r" v' H, b1 H" V Creating ripples
1 F1 T/ M& f+ `7 {* s5 u that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
/ d% F6 n9 ~- B. R8 F not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
2 ~% P, O4 m8 K( W3 f, x Changes the course of the lives
, {6 r( i- v$ x7 |7 I Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
: Q: v( V* M  _) x7 R$ J+ N beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
0 R: _: M+ {4 a' o+ l With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03