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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. ]7 n! ?0 Q8 ^ Heaven
3 m9 z1 w" B# d0 d! |9 s The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
2 r; b4 R5 C( G1 J/ ?8 f A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
8 p) f' q% U0 D+ G: k A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
1 }7 j( @  K! G& G7 x4 F An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
) b) N# m! _: d# c+ q  a But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
7 n2 D; y: F  `3 b! Q Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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/ B- u4 d, F  S5 }( K2 y& x The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
" ]9 z0 Q7 W0 Z0 w, p" E% s: I/ L% L Moving far beyond itself.
1 `+ R# m0 [9 d) Y Gently affecting everything in its wake
5 Z2 J' W1 ?, p( ~) a Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
' C1 w5 e( ]# P& ~4 U* {& ~/ } By unleashing its unimagined power?
" s# q6 K2 d% J/ I Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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+ N+ {& o2 @/ B1 ?3 ?# E* l Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
% {; k" h5 w: K( @# T3 u) ? That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
8 w: C0 H9 C+ D on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
0 j' t! G2 L5 H5 w4 D5 e  K* @ Our everlasting future
0 t$ Z0 m+ ]7 C% i$ d) X Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
, R& C2 f" r) n, u, u1 V3 {7 _ Creating ripples
/ x5 `! k% J1 x# k: J: Z& y that leave unique mark on our world
7 a$ _% z9 Y3 X) J# |* ^ Not because of thoughts
+ H. w' k, E, ?! q1 p  C8 y" u  r! y not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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& u; u. o- o5 f7 h! x Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
! f2 f) k. u7 O' r: e Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
; w5 s! o4 U  {  o) u! W We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
; m, U5 v% V0 D2 b/ u% m1 L1 B The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

5 {9 A" r3 n1 w0 ~5 G Ross Rosenberg
3 U/ H6 C( z& F# @ 8/18/03