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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, o6 z7 P8 ]" D! _# Z8 e 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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% p% [% C- X9 A+ C Heaven
& S& `- ]5 N' q The pebble is worn smooth
# L+ ?9 X( J  V& Q' s1 o Made small over time
# [: l. p$ ~8 Z- s( u) Q A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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3 y9 `6 Z  B! T/ f The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
8 |  B. }- ^9 L% Q3 i. F( z" j+ T But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
9 V2 C1 l$ L) G, _8 s& Q& e* F Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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  P8 M5 f$ A+ b+ _* M! U2 G) r4 c The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
% o) S  d4 |  e8 B, q+ \ Spiral outwards
6 q% F! a# ]( D# H5 q3 a Moving far beyond itself.
& c# l- v( j' [; z Gently affecting everything in its wake
; g" _+ o! I( E6 F4 s2 j9 U$ r+ I Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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- K% J! [+ N, L8 T  m The pebble creates its worth and meaning
* i1 z9 A% }5 a# b8 J- R) Y% T By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
# r$ J; }6 _3 m5 f7 ? Creating karmic energy
  Q; t2 a6 l; z2 \+ z4 \: l Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

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
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
! V' j* g- T) o0 t- K0 ^ Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
$ t$ |8 u$ O0 j& f9 S/ ~( a Into the pond of life
1 Y# i( M- b$ U' W Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
( c9 L/ g, K) ] Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
$ X/ n: w; H2 ~& n' S+ E7 H Because even the smallest pebble
- `2 Q8 `$ ?9 D! ?8 { No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
) {5 Y6 F0 W0 w beckon our lasting attention
0 V$ k9 g" B$ p) @+ X; \# h: ` We will gently leave this life
9 o9 {" A: h& O' @) n) t With the knowledge that
3 ]: i( u7 p- O* j! k because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

6 H# G/ k; Y  ~ Ross Rosenberg
0 q6 ~0 x4 J4 j7 { 8/18/03