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.

# `6 _' E, a, ^0 p" i# Z Heaven
. h) E' k9 H4 Y$ r6 j The pebble is worn smooth
: n4 N$ H6 N' U: Y Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
" G1 J, d7 ~+ u0 |. W% O. b5 g; y6 ~ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
8 }6 n: I$ F( j- P0 B3 j6 A5 x7 e But just a very small stone.

2 R1 ~8 V" E( a3 `- O( } The pebble's place in our world
9 j& J" M. V4 P3 N$ a. Q0 {* ? Is neither understood nor appreciated
3 ?2 m2 k- R( a6 {/ l/ {$ b But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
* ?  {' X3 v* F# s1 l8 K1 R' D Its insignificance is transformed
3 R1 ]. Z0 ^: H1 D+ W- h Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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# A0 S' ?. J/ @* Y1 H& l4 y5 i The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
1 \* ]! f" Q5 E1 B Spiral outwards
& s! q1 V- Q( f/ @' o) Q+ E# F* z Moving far beyond itself.
0 b4 u1 _2 b! f Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

5 k( d9 ~; j  f5 F" t$ O- J  J- R The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
3 p6 G6 R1 z+ Y3 E% F- H) B# _: g Creating karmic energy
6 a. L. }# Z7 d0 g0 w Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
; S* R/ t: I( F" z! @ Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
: F1 R  ~: A; s& u1 T+ L That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
- B! B& w6 e3 ~ Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
& T' F  i* f% H Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
' U7 o% e7 r' m3 e that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
+ C$ E( d; X" @  J7 v$ ] But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
6 p& W2 \  d4 b( _5 a4 Z Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
  |% f$ M8 Z* E7 I* o- u  _ Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
( `! N3 T& ^/ ]# ?" B With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
1 z$ r1 J6 Q  c The world will never be the same.

( O4 N& S( }1 x6 U' p$ N And then we have heaven …
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8 A0 X# T) r7 P6 C Ross Rosenberg
. O# t0 l) Q) B! D5 [5 w8 n8 H+ l 8/18/03