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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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.

Heaven
) d& M* t7 `# j% g+ m/ I# q, U5 I7 l2 X$ x The pebble is worn smooth
8 h" E9 N  ]; s# j Made small over time
! R' d. _5 A7 ^: Z2 T$ i A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
+ X" `& b) c3 e. E' n. R3 W+ P A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
% v8 m  Q! p9 U- d2 B An accidental offspring of a boulder
, D' m+ z$ `7 o# i8 x$ P But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
; H. u. N+ q' R' x' U6 k3 ?% d But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
) V3 q0 f  c  k+ l+ r) n- j8 F" h Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

$ l4 V, U; A$ A$ C0 @* V; Z, c The instant the pebble kisses the pond
- C0 ?2 q: U- U, G' Q, J Its signature of concentric ripples
2 B! g# [8 c; k% X; [+ v& H Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
, J" X7 g; {) T" \" p+ b By unleashing its unimagined power?
/ ~; t) g$ |9 o& i Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
& ?0 C$ s4 Q/ `! D" ` Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
4 N8 j6 g7 C# T1 P4 ~3 i7 M on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
- j4 L8 L* ]5 C Creating ripples
0 R  Z" C- V% k0 q- z. B% _ that leave unique mark on our world
% p0 T% `8 h8 r) Z" D9 }& k Not because of thoughts
/ M0 H. \: I" D# T not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
. ~% g% O4 T+ Q  I, G$ \5 K Because even the smallest pebble
& G$ r! e* n* R# i% [1 j! g# J No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
; \4 h% ]& w. C) T  I+ A Of those we touch.?

7 i9 [3 j: I/ Y* R5 ? And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
% ?: ^* a3 C3 j# @4 D6 x% ~, o* o We will gently leave this life
8 y- u  E" P7 { With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
$ g! m8 H) B( W9 d The world will never be the same.
3 B3 z% e- @2 t' w( V8 {
( B) W+ \7 w; T' C; F And then we have heaven …

0 F% ^0 I! b4 n Ross Rosenberg
/ m; T) C% x+ l7 w0 l  @4 ^5 k/ x. F 8/18/03