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.
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Heaven
4 `) `6 L0 k4 z( c. p' y, D The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
: i9 {, n5 Z# `( r9 z( ]5 }5 l9 x A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
3 b0 k" }# s; B. Y A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
. G; c9 V, g8 e* [7 E; u2 Z But just a very small stone.
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( k# S* }, K% E: X( \ The pebble's place in our world
" i+ A# h9 S: j7 e' c- n) D! @! u$ B Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
0 o. x5 U8 G5 E Its insignificance is transformed
2 {4 Y- y2 s( B/ N: J9 d0 E3 U8 D Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
1 G6 h  b( w9 H0 _ Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
1 g  A5 G5 u8 _# B# m" l& g. A Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

5 G! M$ q0 v( [* R The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
; L7 ~, |) s  J+ |* ?+ L4 C* U Creating karmic energy
5 u  A  A0 v9 j% G$ p0 K: t Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
( ~) r& i( v, U. P That who we are meant to be
! O6 R, b* y& D4 L- v# F: E Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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- a0 [6 h; H# q: w! k4 X It is true then:
7 V% c8 s+ A" ~8 Q7 b Our everlasting future
/ g5 D. y) `3 @7 h Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
: i5 S2 _% R9 v+ R; d' v! D0 |0 W Creating ripples
; j+ p" o+ U' B; r6 _0 m' A* h4 i that leave unique mark on our world
) ^# D9 o0 x+ Z Not because of thoughts
  ^: \8 [7 M! p' } not because of well meaning plans
8 ]6 j# \" Q2 [- K, ?6 `! r But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
8 `  Z3 p# e( O1 s+ Q+ Z* Q+ _ Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
, i- d5 H0 e5 W$ F  V/ Z+ D: y7 _ Changes the course of the lives
$ f3 x) G# a8 U" o1 c Of those we touch.?
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3 R3 f& y" I3 \% t And when the icy winds of death
$ N& {2 \+ ?* p. z0 d: B% K) B beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
; x, k3 F% W# l, T3 u because of that one pebble
4 {3 K- C$ c/ k3 h The world will never be the same.
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7 \+ v1 s6 w( l- {) X7 p- X; F And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03