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.

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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( J- `+ }7 j: o0 v$ w/ T/ K4 q Heaven
% T5 t7 @5 u3 ?: _  U9 e/ A The pebble is worn smooth
1 m) d& c* f4 t" S Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
# n. G" M+ j5 N5 \1 h A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
. A( |, |# S0 r9 A' o/ | An accidental offspring of a boulder
" [. p* E- O3 I. b' |; {/ L But just a very small stone.

6 ]) e* N+ G5 u7 W The pebble's place in our world
8 r" J0 P0 J$ c7 J Is neither understood nor appreciated
& h( E/ e' Y. W( T But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

+ k( s" G. M) C3 G7 g The instant the pebble kisses the pond
8 S6 Y% f  r1 R  v8 l/ o" q$ Y Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
( ^# q+ p6 r6 o, w1 T$ F Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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1 K7 ^% F' v/ L% R# Y The pebble creates its worth and meaning
6 {  q2 W8 L) l% p- u3 ]7 ` By unleashing its unimagined power?
" ^8 z4 h2 q, i1 F( u# G- C Into a dueling force of action and reaction
# H  S5 {6 E% Q7 l Creating karmic energy
3 W& J; a, _% V! J9 [ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
% E) g3 W4 I- y1 z9 n
1 [1 Q0 M  b$ ^; \: x% i Aren't we all pebbles?
: J) |; W5 N/ \9 H8 L Feeling small and insignificant
  a! p; n; ~! I6 D" C: E! w But ultimately recognizing
7 i3 a- ^$ ]* ?- _% X5 `' t$ z That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
3 e: Z- A7 `6 f3 J on a path into ourselves.
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( x( T1 @+ i# I+ N4 p5 }& _, ] It is true then:
* P+ F$ X4 ]7 |3 f7 l/ Y Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
6 F/ r0 u2 ~1 o9 v# q# x not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
7 X! g& ]- v! t$ P( \* h4 N0 ~5 h Of those we touch.?

. z2 l: d2 ~/ j* l4 W* M5 Z8 z& S  G And when the icy winds of death
% z. t6 f* Q( V6 h. f beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
! g; N9 K" t* \, ? With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

: O9 }; [$ A- G8 W0 @/ ?7 E And then we have heaven …
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: C( N6 Q8 z; r7 ` Ross Rosenberg
' [+ i# n" E2 m( ]8 H6 h 8/18/03