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.

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
1 I- E) G$ I' ?4 F- l The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
/ y* z( D3 L# P! e0 D" q A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
8 i: T7 ^2 L. E# s' B4 F; B* Q An accidental offspring of a boulder
! d7 Z( J! @' Q- k$ X But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
5 c4 ], ]$ ]5 ]0 i8 E But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
- k  \0 P. g6 e* Q Its insignificance is transformed
! V8 K& f' y! L$ E3 z Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
$ u. n: Z- T6 G Moving far beyond itself.
" j) \* D* s+ O% z/ V Gently affecting everything in its wake
+ ~' z/ \! Q8 ~/ ] Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

; f+ o- }  [$ K1 ~( \. W0 h+ c The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
# S' B: u6 F* b) r3 h4 K8 s Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
6 a5 \6 `9 b$ N. F* P7 j Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
# O$ c/ L6 k7 M Feeling small and insignificant
+ _6 o2 z, n; F+ j But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
' g' {! X% _! E1 b: \/ o, ^ on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
/ T; E* K5 T' n Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
1 v% G% W0 ?* f% L, Z- [ Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
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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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
  p0 G( W* k+ _2 e% N! ^. q6 Y No matter how seemingly insignificant
( z6 H0 ^( n8 [+ v- N  k5 H+ k Changes the course of the lives
9 ?( E& X" V3 O" g Of those we touch.?

2 k7 ~5 j8 _4 Z- e& V$ u* y- j And when the icy winds of death
8 j! Y- [5 Z* N% \. `( g beckon our lasting attention
6 K5 F* x' Z7 s; m0 U$ r  P4 N) U We will gently leave this life
# A& }3 Y* z9 A2 e0 t With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

( T- K. ?3 y; e Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03