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.

5 O% d% Z6 _/ Z6 s8 p! 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.
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* k+ M2 K% a* L: L5 q" Q Heaven
: f: \/ n* w. G- D The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
" f  ^2 |2 A: I( v, s$ l A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
& H& B! t* k2 I But just a very small stone.
+ d; A' |% Q3 [6 U" }. m! W6 g# l
) v+ Z! X, J' u  p The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
" R& I: Z5 F7 }# Q* | But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
  ]1 ?% C4 K& ^2 a1 t; F Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

5 C/ O( _" N% S: N( e The instant the pebble kisses the pond
- a, k1 Z1 ?" s' n5 L7 y Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
5 B( s3 ~, j' N( {8 s Moving far beyond itself.
: b; E& ?8 M& L, u' c& a; O Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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- F9 c  l& |& D; S5 C' Y) V' @ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
* p( ^2 v1 {4 | By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
! X, r! q$ |1 t, w0 ^/ K5 N Creating karmic energy
( j) U) j- Z' @( w Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
! {3 h2 }5 h! B9 h0 }% B6 Z6 C
Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
/ D  b' g2 v4 L& z8 c But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
4 |8 Q& W+ t9 ?+ w Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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0 P  `; q8 ?& w. } It is true then:
Our everlasting future
" l. i0 V+ r! ^+ \ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
' u. O: F' ^! Z Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
1 v( u* d5 x7 X7 w6 H Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
" Z. y6 r" n) E1 `! k2 ]
; r% B; h# r6 V& M9 V  ^ Our life's prayers our answered
5 ?/ r+ s6 X5 \. `( e) `9 F- Q Because even the smallest pebble
- L" h: \; W: H; w3 `. p  M  ^! D No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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- |7 V& r2 _: u/ L And when the icy winds of death
% t( T# n3 t& k. h* a7 c beckon our lasting attention
  }3 X) I% q" |( @, W) r1 R1 Q We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

! @1 g( y% ]! s. r2 q And then we have heaven …

! o+ N/ |  W1 I/ D, T: J0 p Ross Rosenberg
3 }7 I+ l( s- \ 8/18/03