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.

" e' l- O4 J+ r: s; B9 s5 N% s 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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- I+ {: [! U* H, _% ^ Heaven
$ o! U0 M# |% Q6 C7 O) g) ] The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
5 ]2 @7 U( d) h- q. ~+ Y A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
3 j  i8 i2 j3 {2 B$ y& T/ ^. M A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
8 s- z; m: n  N An accidental offspring of a boulder
* A4 H; R+ A5 C" Z3 P But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
' E5 d. c* B: |3 @: X But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
9 A2 e. M* l/ [, T8 D Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
3 o- v, ~$ f0 J  ~4 |: s
6 n( Z0 n/ T5 k$ A The instant the pebble kisses the pond
. D# _; u& l1 w, o Its signature of concentric ripples
1 a9 e9 J6 |: B7 e4 T Spiral outwards
2 k# h9 Z. }3 t$ c& u# e* W Moving far beyond itself.
0 @: n2 z) ~' K/ X5 g6 u+ M: ~ Gently affecting everything in its wake
8 c/ [: \7 ~3 H Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

* D8 {& [3 {: G The pebble creates its worth and meaning
1 D2 H4 k" H+ ~3 L; J8 n  V( X( ]4 e By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
0 |5 u3 l' x, ?7 v: r/ t0 c0 t8 ^ Creating karmic energy
+ e! _' `7 h  i# [ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
! i/ m) T7 g8 P( f) j# F
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
6 u( @& i" S. z2 G& M6 b That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
5 M2 w  d- ^/ u
It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
8 @) L2 s5 c( ~) w Into the pond of life
3 _' ~  O( ^9 t/ o: g  y% H7 } Creating ripples
5 E6 W& x* H2 w9 m2 d that leave unique mark on our world
8 p. [; ]/ q' l% T$ X, v6 e Not because of thoughts
; A: x2 v) B" n not because of well meaning plans
+ h5 z: a3 \& x- v But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
& [/ ^% K$ U& p( ]! {* W# @ No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
7 c) U9 p# b- m& m. a. t
. e2 [6 S, B6 v  | And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
5 e8 N9 c% G. K  P  f3 ~ We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
6 G8 n% {" P+ f: \$ E1 z because of that one pebble
; B: j7 `' H0 J+ s The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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3 b" \6 [$ F4 e) @) S! d- G Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03