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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9 _) n0 z$ y( t# T 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
7 C: X1 B/ o8 \) J( o The pebble is worn smooth
; C/ M" P  p" b! `$ \2 f3 h7 ~ Made small over time
/ S: K/ |- u7 E; J+ c) X7 e7 y A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
( D2 @3 {! o; m$ @/ Z) Q3 ~# w! X An accidental offspring of a boulder
5 T6 ~( _% T+ x/ e' D7 z But just a very small stone.

! j0 E, X% v: h; _5 S The pebble's place in our world
* L1 v" o7 Y: Y* M Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
! J: q# W( @  J* F Its insignificance is transformed
' {: e( ?, d2 T* f% K Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
6 Y0 H, X2 D3 v3 C- r Its signature of concentric ripples
+ ^( V4 ~! }5 ?, g5 C# B) p Spiral outwards
, Y: M  B) S7 K- h0 x Moving far beyond itself.
" S5 |6 [; G9 h; ^ Gently affecting everything in its wake
: J/ B. A. u9 B2 V9 }. G: q Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 Q  R/ T: g8 g  |. R: g Into a dueling force of action and reaction
' w- O3 J; h( L2 M3 _ Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
8 v$ ?: ~% [" q7 y 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.

It is true then:
: Z' x- _& z( s+ H5 b, q Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
1 R  |; C+ g1 B5 c$ {% Q# \% G Into the pond of life
5 @5 D7 j+ H$ o" T" }1 @. B Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
% T0 p! x0 e# c Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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3 d3 M" u9 [4 z3 u% a$ _5 N Our life's prayers our answered
; A( v( f% X' G* u' [4 B7 a Because even the smallest pebble
2 {9 N, j2 B! v) \ No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
! {2 `6 S" W4 Z: ?+ O* F8 p9 T beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
/ N$ ^$ h# y5 O The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
' S' }( i! i. o: a 8/18/03