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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, N& M; a% k  A0 ]: I1 p  V3 V$ ]  X8 g Heaven
& b' I( ~  d7 W" ^- z2 n$ b The pebble is worn smooth
3 J* d4 g) D6 F# v0 U+ d  S% A Made small over time
4 n8 f& q6 ^; J( E* v A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
; Q) _  D. n; o! w5 u! C A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
4 l2 V+ z1 k( \+ H1 Y& \  x7 b An accidental offspring of a boulder
$ f% P, _1 t* A& j6 g3 V  ~ But just a very small stone.
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  |9 B* |9 K( u3 W) } The pebble's place in our world
- y( @2 p, @4 e* z2 [- j Is neither understood nor appreciated
& P  V( \% K! a* d/ x But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
  M# U* L9 H# x0 F" A Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

$ @% \% n- x# s8 M The instant the pebble kisses the pond
) Q- |% G3 `  n+ U7 ~ Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
' P  H- o1 R3 B8 B Moving far beyond itself.
% G+ c' u. s# H0 c; a0 v4 u Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
- p5 c# Y0 A2 \1 S+ Q Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
) P) B$ S+ w6 P Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
! x% j- I. x3 a# w) A) e That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
( B) v/ @2 k' f Our everlasting future
* R; M) t: l! t1 j1 f Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' T: l" z  m0 M8 w; ` Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
9 D# q$ ?( _  X0 [6 R/ n( R) O  F1 I not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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* z. `- D' M& H- s8 [; A Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
5 ~6 ?* i3 t0 C6 s# F0 H! s No matter how seemingly insignificant
7 O. W* Q, G/ W" d4 @. y8 S2 L Changes the course of the lives
; a, n2 T  _+ z  U/ K8 d$ P Of those we touch.?
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5 |+ X! ~; K, B9 Q2 f( c8 I% _' O And when the icy winds of death
" N: B! |9 q( ~/ R9 t2 Y5 q beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
0 S- T3 v* t! ]  T* U" y 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 …

7 N' I! l2 u; ]3 d Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03