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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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
: h+ x9 a# G6 v3 ~2 L& X. w$ W The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
; A# X: h" W3 U7 X1 S A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
: _  n* {! W  Q An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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3 u# d6 L0 d' ?/ t+ W* x) k( T The pebble's place in our world
& f7 a* \3 h# d3 F5 D# n Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
! a) j/ p1 t3 j, D9 y. h Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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# X; [( q- z0 s# q7 T, D The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
+ r# a, ~3 J9 W Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
! N. }1 g, f) ^. M+ d1 ?* E' c+ {! Y 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
$ v# `8 m) Z9 R% z7 X5 A Can never be measured in isolation
* z7 k5 E+ D& G1 l) K on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
2 i, A: n: l& f3 [3 g0 E Our everlasting future
4 ]6 V2 U5 D% j6 E- y+ V1 c4 R& C Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
, {% m3 I" G$ f- H Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
% u, h. E/ P" z" M0 k: G that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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7 F* G6 U( u- E9 D Our life's prayers our answered
! E1 I# {* t- Z* d! [ Because even the smallest pebble
; @& }, D+ i8 n8 E. C4 h 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
6 G( ]$ Q4 K9 r% X5 k- r3 J1 f6 X7 l beckon our lasting attention
7 T( L# V2 x, } We will gently leave this life
! B0 {6 K7 d# f7 k6 @- z With the knowledge that
. ^6 R, n: p* ]8 b because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

5 M# ], g; ?* ?- h2 t# U3 e4 P; f And then we have heaven …
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& o7 Z: r7 ]3 u( f Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03