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.

/ l4 R! y( A$ f  W* Z7 ^' z) ? Heaven
2 E: D; y9 o, N$ `. c The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
1 p, F" U2 G, e. E, C% M2 \ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
- E0 P  R4 J( H+ P2 ?5 O, y Is neither understood nor appreciated
) x' u( x; ?9 P* X7 y! X0 Z( C% T But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
8 C6 P$ O. d( {  \$ T! u Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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1 y6 P8 H% q- H4 {0 C: G: i The instant the pebble kisses the pond
5 o5 r0 I) v6 [9 p6 I6 H+ J Its signature of concentric ripples
2 q% ^0 t" [" T( l Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
/ w- x2 ?' r) h1 S- m" a6 _& v Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
1 V! |: `. G$ C$ ]( M By unleashing its unimagined power?
1 B3 `: w7 ^& R% C! L Into a dueling force of action and reaction
( G( P- x5 W2 ^9 l6 _" s 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
2 {! |2 s/ r6 }. O3 t, [9 | on a path into ourselves.
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) W: @$ m* c! ]2 s! x3 X. A/ j' y It is true then:
' k$ L" a  N% v3 F0 T* f Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
9 y9 Y- r" E+ T' ^# r4 y  b& u& ]* U Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
2 x' A$ i- W; X" T* t7 X/ ` Not because of thoughts
4 f; e) O# h! ]) `/ b9 t' m5 U not because of well meaning plans
% e3 ~  h! S* Z& x7 r But because of actions.
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7 j+ z( C9 `5 m0 `/ q. k4 l Our life's prayers our answered
; E; q. M: P' c. E' I Because even the smallest pebble
# e# q! w4 Q& B No matter how seemingly insignificant
# A( W6 y* }; a3 y9 D Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
+ e. z* J( o/ b# O9 R beckon our lasting attention
, N1 x2 R' p7 n- }; o4 F# _+ I We will gently leave this life
% z4 H$ h5 `  Y1 W. o3 o 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
7 O( h) f' j6 x$ g9 M' w+ k3 k 8/18/03