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.

, k" W8 W' `1 \: w' n 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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* U- {: \' r. K8 {6 H4 w7 \) G  X1 h$ m Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
- J- @' `1 U+ U5 V! {! `0 u* C& [ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
' [0 V" ^+ u& V3 }! T An accidental offspring of a boulder
6 n( a- |. |9 f" J But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
' L8 f  G- I( }1 }; R Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
) T/ `1 p9 N+ S# T Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
8 Z$ e9 U  U5 u  L Its signature of concentric ripples
5 w( }. @. k( R Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

, J0 l# v) V/ H3 G- b+ C8 G& S; I The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
% a% n$ j+ u4 B' E$ H5 q' f) t Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
% y- w. K7 l( ?/ Y' |/ t
& s9 M% P$ u8 B Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
! k7 }2 u( r* g9 S% O9 \; F/ M; e But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
  ]6 ]: w1 m$ b$ X  U Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
# V0 [: X, u' B' p+ N! \' ? 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
: k: |- o: L; t+ K" u- x1 U not because of well meaning plans
0 V) K- l  t9 r But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
! u4 j0 F- ]% q# J- c. q8 j1 Y Because even the smallest pebble
: ]9 z3 p: ?6 u' k# [% R1 O No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
% P6 {- {' J' Q- {) u! P" O2 { Of those we touch.?
6 L+ ~/ N! T7 h9 V9 _7 D9 J, q) v
8 r9 A8 m2 o1 E" D1 ]5 z And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
* {) J$ }0 B. Q because of that one pebble
3 K: z" g/ V# v7 w8 ~ The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
1 {6 `; H: B. Y3 ^  L  B: l' \0 J 8/18/03