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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, ^2 r; G4 Y9 A8 P 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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. \$ ?, C6 Z( ^ Heaven
7 i% f4 o8 h" w3 f$ k! C! h The pebble is worn smooth
: ]8 X" X- \5 L, `& a7 \8 Z Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
) a7 K8 ]+ }  U9 b* W( k; J A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
7 C( k0 J- y) J But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
$ J" j3 Q( h' y, R1 X2 b/ j, @ Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

+ R! U* \( V$ e& `( \6 R The instant the pebble kisses the pond
6 ^1 T/ S* v6 j4 K, m+ f Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
' a) S. w0 ^( q6 |4 O( ~3 ? Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
; Q( e' b# V! s- C2 q4 \# \ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
+ P8 t/ d/ P  l7 x6 i+ A( L/ o; J/ ] Feeling small and insignificant
, F& J2 R% o: I+ \. d, T& L$ } But ultimately recognizing
# T& g2 A/ Z5 e3 n3 d: e$ L0 q That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
3 @1 d$ q* F! J4 l; G7 b on a path into ourselves.
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! x7 F  p+ T: j9 a& L7 z It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 K- ~6 c$ Q2 A" j2 \' Y- p Into the pond of life
4 L7 l1 G6 D4 V3 A3 w0 Q! x Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
1 }% v) h. P, z! K$ j1 { not because of well meaning plans
7 N5 V; p0 J- i/ p2 u4 H5 l. n But because of actions.
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, ~: q. `& V* n" B* ]4 [! e4 } Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
# \, J! m$ d8 g. z Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

3 e6 ^" `: x' {. w; Z And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
* }( O# Q' h' @% c4 |; c1 R. z The world will never be the same.

$ i6 \0 i( m3 q) m* F( |3 L4 C: L And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03