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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/ H" G6 m; k$ {! }; e6 d 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
The pebble is worn smooth
& ?3 A! E5 q) y8 ~0 P Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
9 i$ I9 B2 X, V. Q9 u! N2 t; j A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
! A1 T: x$ g$ c- X- M' C. M- T But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
1 ?8 H* @4 |# ] Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
. K  v+ i/ }% S2 Y" p8 {5 ^$ { Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
, o. V- _  p2 ^' u3 F3 o/ _0 a Its signature of concentric ripples
; f. n9 f' d2 }, T; P! Q7 \ Spiral outwards
$ d6 t7 |) Z7 }& p8 ^* z9 i9 [ Moving far beyond itself.
: j1 x6 G' T+ w4 X! O. a2 M+ i0 a Gently affecting everything in its wake
$ \- a6 U# c! K+ e Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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7 _" {9 E" _1 r+ d. c The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
: b4 g" l4 M/ v0 |0 i% m Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
/ `/ W: I5 z* M0 n& ^8 w Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
+ D) {( t; @2 h3 i2 j  {) B8 Z Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
( r1 x: `% M0 P/ w( ?1 { Can never be measured in isolation
3 q! H0 N4 D" f! \, k& X. F8 q on a path into ourselves.

7 h  v0 l2 c3 I5 G* _+ G+ j It is true then:
Our everlasting future
! j/ Y3 G3 u( q- \* `! d; F Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
  h+ m( P+ T/ O- C  r0 P Into the pond of life
; v, a7 \# _+ N8 {$ X$ K Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
% T4 a" `- I$ h( S8 ^: A But because of actions.
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3 g8 [6 B1 B2 z Our life's prayers our answered
2 W) R) m( `9 L: q Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
) v% o* m9 t8 I" ]1 | Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
! J6 D4 H0 j, F( J, H( h' x' ?. @; k We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
* K! q$ h8 a) T% U+ F2 M because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

% E0 ^& A" X5 k$ b& D! H And then we have heaven …

- q, a% y& [( s6 e. X Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03