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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) r* P. d  k9 [' u- O 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
& V9 E2 [6 z. K The pebble is worn smooth
/ u# d  W: m8 X8 t8 U' t Made small over time
2 \) A) t* F; J2 f: s( r" G  z$ T A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
# ?0 ~* ~  w& R- }! n. g% p A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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" D4 b% S! _  _) C The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
1 X- G4 p5 ~1 U- h  H$ \4 ?- Y But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
) C% I4 p2 W6 ]: @4 q Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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3 H: J- g9 g3 ~+ a2 s+ q The instant the pebble kisses the pond
" }( g' i* C' x0 { Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
4 d6 y, s$ L) R% \, p) n Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
# Y* ~. e6 Z' a7 {5 k Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
/ r/ v' X' A# P5 z By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
. ]  \* m* C& ?# G Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
) s0 e) D8 ]7 w4 T2 I3 `% `3 y Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
# K6 o& n7 W1 @  y. E3 x Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
, y& A! a' {! }* O- @9 B. \ Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
2 E9 |# f0 `9 s0 w0 k1 D0 g Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
- ?2 b7 g8 D0 n: | Not because of thoughts
  T' L& O% V2 y5 Z+ F2 { not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

+ K* ?. h) J1 }7 R1 A Our life's prayers our answered
. C% o. ^9 j0 s, y( f) T5 d Because even the smallest pebble
- R* P$ H# p# z: Z; Q1 X7 j No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
0 d+ u( V, A1 M( A. R0 {8 S We will gently leave this life
: s* @; c( P! }* I+ [ With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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( H7 m+ u1 H1 F6 w2 o And then we have heaven …
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/ n5 F! G0 C; L. N! B! } Ross Rosenberg
' F% y0 a4 {% D+ q6 ] 8/18/03