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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Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
) w/ P6 s* i, v/ M+ P Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
; m# i. P4 |9 K; K+ j) n; L% N An accidental offspring of a boulder
1 _7 m* d8 T3 D9 ^" H But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
8 b+ @9 y+ e& N3 B0 i; A& U9 C+ g Is neither understood nor appreciated
* a- Y" A( k. o- {" s1 ] But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
, @. c: S. J# m1 v# `0 b Its insignificance is transformed
+ M. j  x' c- h# m Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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1 D. `( a. s. A; ]& e The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
4 ?$ D/ E- S3 l) @. p( v Spiral outwards
) ], }/ X  ^% x$ E Moving far beyond itself.
# y; r& Q3 U4 S: i% N+ v Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
4 G5 P. w! Q0 y$ P( \/ ` By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
; {# }. l# v' Z- i8 U0 n( | Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

4 J2 p. [5 g- I- e5 u Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
4 X5 u  q  L% n& e+ Z That who we are meant to be
% n4 `  p) \9 Q; G& T! V* N Can never be measured in isolation
3 \) i& Z$ y- Q5 D  T on a path into ourselves.
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1 q, u" H' S/ {5 F" C It is true then:
8 [& v* A) p* m5 ]: D Our everlasting future
' E0 i/ X% y0 Z" n8 p Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
& ^- ^. V$ Z# U* n( i Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

( n/ x5 ?2 H5 a# \( Z$ F3 U Our life's prayers our answered
/ H( f" ?9 C6 z  C Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
9 v1 D# {+ \3 w, i5 Y Changes the course of the lives
4 @( g6 u- Q" h' ~ Of those we touch.?
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, {" J0 O8 h. F+ \" _ And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
2 j9 \. Q. a2 b8 _$ Z% s$ u With the knowledge that
% c$ C% B" |8 k because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03