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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/ t6 }. t  n; i- C# ^& m6 C3 Z7 k1 M 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.

) n$ c& X" v, {* a) S$ h5 y/ Z( N Heaven
7 g1 x' r; M. y# X, r# K. A The pebble is worn smooth
; n( a! s0 a+ J4 _$ x Made small over time
3 i; {8 a" U) n4 i) s0 W, Z! n A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
" d& @" @1 c) q  z A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
- v. v2 M' _0 [& J  H  w# M3 p But just a very small stone.

( _5 [/ y* A! F& E* q/ A The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
' a& x2 q8 j8 x3 j7 t# P Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

1 s' A" v- D1 J% v9 d The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
" F, x: |  R- W; Q; {0 G. t% z Spiral outwards
7 h4 C( n+ k$ c5 a6 O2 B3 |: F Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
' C7 \8 }3 Y9 D6 A Creating karmic energy
% E! c# g  f3 F. B Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
) S- W% {% l4 R6 ?3 Q Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
! E  ^! }2 r8 z3 w7 r; U: v Can never be measured in isolation
! f3 p) b) O/ D on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
Our everlasting future
! n1 o* Y) @! F4 U% \9 k Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
2 r  S8 w+ W0 z, O  N" L Not because of thoughts
$ }3 D& z4 l! @! h: o, V not because of well meaning plans
7 W% Z: r/ ^' F8 j- G But because of actions.

) ^4 N3 d5 v- ^( C$ z) q$ \ Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
5 b6 X* k1 _3 x! G Changes the course of the lives
" u  J9 n9 U6 x$ {6 @6 R( I Of those we touch.?
$ {4 i3 C2 B0 |5 y1 z& r+ e
And when the icy winds of death
' k3 @/ j% h& g( X; `0 c( m' a beckon our lasting attention
0 \, _3 b# t& j* S We will gently leave this life
4 l# k) E- d, Q With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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/ z1 ]0 m. o1 v: T6 `4 m And then we have heaven …
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3 P7 {. N- w" y/ y3 ] Ross Rosenberg
1 |0 M) d9 `2 ^! F; y 8/18/03