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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+ N' E: p& 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.

8 o4 R+ z1 `" g2 o& P3 o Heaven
6 E  R/ |% z  l6 K1 ^- C The pebble is worn smooth
" `3 M* r4 o$ [- u* T Made small over time
! |- c% \. H7 U& ]' P- z2 T. ^( T A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
2 E# E8 I+ E; g& O% o3 | A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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6 `2 m( |, j& u: K) ] The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' X& R9 g$ c7 D# x  D( c' P Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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% }2 w' u3 e1 I% F) T8 k7 J The instant the pebble kisses the pond
/ _2 Q4 Q& {3 Z- V$ T" N Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
; @2 N% t% p- P$ Q3 X( e5 y' A Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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( [) C- A& \* f7 z" E! I The pebble creates its worth and meaning
: _, O  @. r) `4 w) p6 `3 C By unleashing its unimagined power?
* j( u' E/ F( d  J. c" T% y Into a dueling force of action and reaction
9 G- |& i! e0 L2 `: |4 _ Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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6 Y) `% l: T$ v2 \& @ Aren't we all pebbles?
6 `# q$ q  `# I Feeling small and insignificant
4 O6 }! f: Z1 g8 i$ h1 O5 e But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
9 g. N3 M$ F4 t0 U( e$ S Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
& g7 o' x7 }  ^/ W* x" C$ _' S Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
% ]! F+ w7 ]6 a' r Not because of thoughts
3 Q4 a6 |( ^. Z& X2 G not because of well meaning plans
+ f0 P. {* Z* r- R But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
6 M0 d& y4 V8 b4 S* p) [# I No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

+ U. ]; \" \+ I0 u1 V And when the icy winds of death
# v- m8 \; Z6 _ beckon our lasting attention
3 e* H1 y0 r8 v( a+ C1 \ We will gently leave this life
5 u; q: T; j, x# c With the knowledge that
# c6 o+ ?% w) \1 ?4 j because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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/ N4 e9 a) q2 Y/ {) x; A Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03