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 V$ Z" h& _7 r& s4 D% C 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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1 e* n  Y) {4 l9 f Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
; f* l$ |6 m# ?) E" h* K" r. B! S! j- P# ] Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
3 ^( R/ K' X& }: q: q: B: j A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 W9 D6 f7 Q8 \, C9 b An accidental offspring of a boulder
. q. y/ T' O8 M But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
/ `& j# {, U) X* e! H' n$ d3 o7 Q Is neither understood nor appreciated
1 d* c/ T; Q# h7 A2 n+ B But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
" a" T; k4 b6 J4 p# U Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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; {; Z: E7 X( ]; q# B; y1 e The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
  ?" h" u7 w  @% J Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
% B! K5 ]8 w% G% i2 I" [ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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3 T4 s- S3 u! {1 N! \5 \ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
4 k1 V6 K& V; @. e By unleashing its unimagined power?
$ R# D( m$ m4 N$ e/ ~ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
% X+ o8 b5 q% L( j Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
: c6 `- K: B8 @# _ Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
! |, O4 D6 u& o- _' V  E/ G2 K on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
: _7 K; \5 `; m  W6 _ Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
, D/ j$ q% O5 Q, N3 G that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
+ o8 V" w0 B8 \3 x" A6 M8 I. J. _ not because of well meaning plans
0 J6 q) p( E/ @2 `# L7 O- N7 t But because of actions.

+ N6 N5 \  A# a4 T: ]% J Our life's prayers our answered
+ B$ A/ [# \3 t  m Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
- P, c) O& S8 E; Q8 t Of those we touch.?
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1 J  n* h4 ~( V1 b6 H* S And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
; ^" o7 _- F# V because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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8 p! g, V# L! c$ b1 c% F! u' c% c  ` And then we have heaven …

' j" p7 ^$ J- r! \+ f/ _4 o Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03