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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0 t( d5 ~7 \, Y; O2 g% m7 h 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.

Heaven
1 @9 e1 O( m. ?. M The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
; G4 q1 s+ m) P4 t% K3 ^ 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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: v0 h4 E4 i$ U9 l7 t0 X The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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$ {7 F4 ?0 q) i9 H, q The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
$ `6 g' {9 `+ S4 _: Y" W( s Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
& H8 ^) k, p$ B) c( R9 e Gently affecting everything in its wake
# h. c3 B. U4 T' g; D3 [8 ]  w Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

/ q, P$ }& P+ C+ }6 I& q The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
' t" [( e1 w/ H Creating karmic energy
8 Y5 Y, A# \9 m8 m Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
0 R) x6 ]6 K: D7 c8 P2 E( ]8 | Can never be measured in isolation
/ z* \8 _- C; V2 o" A; n' L on a path into ourselves.

: y! n# {7 s; [& G It is true then:
Our everlasting future
9 ^: R7 v. `, b; q2 R Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
7 Z3 T" S! ~, r7 D- T9 e/ l$ ]" V Not because of thoughts
8 J) X1 j6 M4 ]7 }' P. j; F not because of well meaning plans
' g! [( _" M3 ~ But because of actions.
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, A, n5 \/ R5 C Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
% `4 n: @2 V! U5 O7 @ No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

8 a- H2 L' Q; g* F9 a And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
9 _& t7 j3 W( a- n With the knowledge that
8 y1 i6 N/ K5 B because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03