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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& |: z) G# S3 p' s Heaven
+ P# C8 d8 i. h' l The pebble is worn smooth
  L0 c" V* {! M9 N, h Made small over time
, t2 s. W$ X. {" ^" g4 A A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
3 \, q: p" b. S" C/ f: V; i But just a very small stone.
- E: p1 {; f# f: j; Q
9 H0 i5 @4 [+ K& F- C2 \ The pebble's place in our world
& Z! i8 d  b, {  y- n* \0 {& M Is neither understood nor appreciated
2 S  L. d3 x2 N' j5 ~ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
5 _6 z% F2 r6 G! h Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
' E' Q1 j& X' b Moving far beyond itself.
, a% ^: q9 Y% ?) T9 L Gently affecting everything in its wake
0 ?5 m! i3 f0 ^" }% v( O Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

+ `# J! V1 T2 F' k The pebble creates its worth and meaning
9 H, z. ]  K, W: |( i By unleashing its unimagined power?
0 d6 N' F# T$ a. `3 e0 R% M0 P Into a dueling force of action and reaction
3 B1 D( |* t6 X' M& G( d. R Creating karmic energy
+ W2 }8 S) Y: C4 S! O+ q Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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! m. z* E0 ]6 U, w3 B+ O Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
" S3 P+ B& p8 I1 w  k4 d But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
  k; O; R5 Y# e Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

2 ~5 b( m4 a- ^$ { It is true then:
" o& |8 M3 M$ f4 j+ ]( W* Y- O# a' [ Our everlasting future
# }+ u" K0 ]2 L: E, r) d" { Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
8 ~4 w$ A3 |  z3 a- S3 G5 o8 ` Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
$ u4 {" c- m4 o* M8 P& i4 o# N+ C But because of actions.

3 y- W4 A/ i3 c1 Q Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
- f/ i4 W; F: }# R No matter how seemingly insignificant
- l8 J, }- w8 x Changes the course of the lives
0 k/ l8 K; w, [% h# m: P Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
4 {6 f8 p4 G6 H# A. n" @, X/ O6 U beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
9 A1 |9 N. x" F( X' G% z because of that one pebble
7 |: V+ @* F( T0 Y  U6 Z: y The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

6 w, i- r3 C; k. N) k! r0 v5 [' N7 ?0 J Ross Rosenberg
7 T7 }" \$ `6 O8 W0 Z9 p, e 8/18/03