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.

8 k4 r2 X/ u* } 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
# @9 U' R+ g' s! t" }$ K; _ The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
: g! W' K9 e9 R A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
2 C  l' J) `( M) C) A, i0 S+ r5 r A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
% c9 s+ Q( \' X0 S$ Q9 q* Q% M An accidental offspring of a boulder
7 L/ B4 c. u$ B# ]' J% p. b$ _ But just a very small stone.
8 Z0 i# x1 F0 G( d7 I
The pebble's place in our world
9 a7 L, b* `% V& J" b/ ~; N Is neither understood nor appreciated
3 x; |- @; e- n( r But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
  R3 M  D& r$ ?1 A# C7 l Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
( ^; d- B# b8 R Its signature of concentric ripples
0 i0 \, H$ E% d8 l% k! H0 W Spiral outwards
2 f  C- x: w( L Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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9 k5 H, @+ |/ Y5 v! V The pebble creates its worth and meaning
0 o8 Q; f4 C2 ?4 \9 j By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
4 q2 \) X1 m. C6 d Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
2 S9 K' Z! A- [1 y6 V# @& c
" A9 _' S+ Y. u" ] Aren't we all pebbles?
# r# f. {9 ?0 g8 i' R Feeling small and insignificant
4 E, O; a2 f  ?2 J But ultimately recognizing
) }: V1 V% }1 s: f6 `8 J9 h& a& v# ^ That who we are meant to be
, A8 O' c' ^$ w2 A9 f4 I Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
6 }! A% a4 Z( j$ k Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
8 j  n3 T5 I7 V9 M6 j/ E Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
3 y" T, e% p. x2 Y8 | not because of well meaning plans
2 M+ D# \  q5 j. E& _* F But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
8 ?; \1 B$ S6 H" d9 D Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
% B, W9 s, f) b/ N, a! ~+ ^ Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

, N2 G, H, F7 [ And when the icy winds of death
0 |; g2 ]1 o( ?9 l) |$ ?+ P: w9 }9 J" s beckon our lasting attention
6 V! ?5 R, p2 f5 w+ r/ |8 q$ Q, O6 F We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
* P9 r! v9 \! b1 G The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03