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.

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
* @! H8 E2 _" K$ B2 b5 S Made small over time
5 T1 X4 l/ u# c: s; C( K, X. O5 d% A A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
6 p% n; D2 D$ u7 S An accidental offspring of a boulder
( i* m" B9 l- l$ t But just a very small stone.
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0 v4 O, T- a3 K+ E" p The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
' [7 n, R! ^2 M- @2 p" Y But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
! I  m$ W- J! _2 m6 `* R/ C Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
6 O( Q1 [0 p+ D% v5 ]$ P3 t Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
) R0 ]0 }( ?, z% E Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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% f# @0 o9 j. P1 Z- G The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
  I% X7 S+ C" @ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

- ]' ?2 b' a9 B# p2 E6 e! {: U* x Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
! f/ O* q& B# T( p+ W1 h: S That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
- d! Q; c( G3 e' W4 K Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

1 }) e) G8 T  |7 u9 P Our life's prayers our answered
( _2 B6 B2 d( x, i Because even the smallest pebble
9 v& s* m# x& ^4 B: t8 U No matter how seemingly insignificant
+ f8 e7 f/ w4 o Changes the course of the lives
6 V" j0 N% W6 K Of those we touch.?

* w- v2 v% v, r$ x And when the icy winds of death
9 \2 Q: i+ s" Y! j6 G beckon our lasting attention
3 A& u( }9 u" V We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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; H- q& T! B; o$ D* g( e And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
) S* ^5 Q! F) G% q2 P' N/ s/ t 8/18/03