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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7 _* O) `, x0 }. L! a4 _: Q 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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* B- H+ P: j; t  p1 x Heaven
/ c( s, e; M* s The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
7 F7 a' A3 L4 p7 U4 l A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
8 Y+ n1 j. @! a2 b6 w" ? But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
6 i! F! Q7 y6 U9 [ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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3 P/ e. G% ^9 U( _$ \9 _# L. X The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
$ b2 i: R4 Q7 ~' X* F% @; V Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
$ u# ^. I' Z+ G0 f, K  k  D Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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* `) }5 G3 ?3 {5 H; B The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) v( K" u" U( G# Z" ~( J) w) p By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
% F6 j( W7 e, S; \* }% g* e1 M1 R Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
( E$ c( Z' G# L  f4 D. I4 M8 t Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
7 g2 W* u2 L! I$ y9 n: O Can never be measured in isolation
* J9 K, o2 h2 X, j. e on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
0 c% ^" v5 l8 f) v4 P Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
1 y! g" ^" y0 p Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
# a* d" Z" n# l3 n5 i Not because of thoughts
' ?4 h% N+ d. z5 y" E: {  C not because of well meaning plans
; d- n; m0 K# G% G! ^9 ~! G2 i3 Z7 d% G" d But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
: t, o- [! Z9 K1 o! n Because even the smallest pebble
' q( ]- t+ H9 S( u0 i8 p No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 N4 N- ]( A5 h0 o9 `* P* q Changes the course of the lives
4 x0 e3 l5 A; E7 q+ f' @3 Y, f+ F Of those we touch.?
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  a' C4 ~8 n9 b/ {- k" v, F And when the icy winds of death
# Z/ r: N& L7 }9 D" M& Y beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
4 \! A& E% n) ?3 A With the knowledge that
9 |& c- \" x2 T3 G$ `  B4 g6 C: C because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

9 _6 X/ Y  D' _: W$ a+ j8 J$ b  z( t And then we have heaven …

! y6 R8 ^  Z" I& Z) _ Ross Rosenberg
7 S, D. c# Y$ j0 Z( T 8/18/03