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.
, x8 S7 n$ r- s9 P4 w: D, R
Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
; c& K: `& x+ e$ H: n A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
) S+ x' s6 @2 `  t- s* P A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
. ^* K7 }! M  @( ~! F6 K But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
) x  b% B( B- P  d Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
! ?  ?! ^* O' i/ g Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
, p) E( D4 |# F6 z, G Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
: E4 f9 a6 s1 }+ R! N% d Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
% Y' _' U$ ^% A) ~0 z
' D& O& k! W. q( O3 c The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
9 Z/ a/ z  e2 A, O( O7 ^ Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
# j$ D+ q3 q4 k6 E( @" z% ]( ]: P Feeling small and insignificant
+ `. K: [5 F8 h3 L& h But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
* D/ E& G1 z0 K! |" K* u Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
4 z" S5 C5 y" x6 R+ b8 x; R; w5 \ Our everlasting future
+ \3 Y1 y# _- k Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
- p9 _) a! R4 @& \: p, Z Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
: V# N, u) B8 Y( g' [: v Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
& R, k$ T3 E$ D' [; Q Changes the course of the lives
' w: ?; Q/ C+ ^/ w0 Q" L6 Z0 W& @ Of those we touch.?
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% H% G- V2 ~* l* j And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
" F; \% j% q8 X( ]- d$ B We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
7 O$ t3 i. P0 ^/ ~% H  A because of that one pebble
3 V. C1 N$ r; g9 R3 Z7 U+ R& X The world will never be the same.
! @7 Q% ^9 Y$ z- d
0 ^$ M% [+ E$ D3 _ And then we have heaven …

4 c  I4 J7 l1 u& t Ross Rosenberg
$ F' z0 e& w: B0 n7 b2 ] 8/18/03