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.

: `; `. K; V5 L0 e4 t0 [7 g) u Heaven
/ z' ^% k4 j- s. M. Z The pebble is worn smooth
8 g4 x, c4 G( c9 p Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
3 h, D1 p: S) _. S& `8 e: | A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 O5 {6 S, L3 K An accidental offspring of a boulder
( ?# b6 p' P3 T6 j. l But just a very small stone.

9 K% m# `/ r$ ]9 I3 z# \ The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
) E0 m) y% X# R% _3 o3 b$ _ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
) `! V# N, O" v1 O, m$ w, b. U Its insignificance is transformed
& W# j! G) ^+ T Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
3 u' k( i4 P. S: w8 {1 y( B( b& f Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
% Y9 L: j% D* B6 D Gently affecting everything in its wake
- L# T6 J' @5 ]7 q1 |  i/ z6 } Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
0 P- a3 u! D5 Z  [% K3 f0 I Creating karmic energy
  j) c6 g: d1 q# D. T+ q Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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2 f' H) K+ {- }1 _3 R- [5 F8 W Aren't we all pebbles?
2 Y0 L5 {% E# b0 G Feeling small and insignificant
* H- I) ~  @" o. o/ j- o0 U+ U But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
$ f9 z, U1 d% _  }( a: D on a path into ourselves.
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$ J' Q2 ]9 W7 {. u It is true then:
. s& G8 k4 O! H1 \; p; m( p Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
. e, [0 b. S  N8 T  W Into the pond of life
! F+ ?7 ]! q8 E" v# s. P8 @0 g Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
* h  {& v1 ?* H Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
( {" \( C9 v6 e; B0 |( T But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
' ~9 F3 L4 ^- p( @ No matter how seemingly insignificant
  R- ?) ^) E0 m% P# {5 u Changes the course of the lives
! q% T" o; [% Q' }- |  y% s; T6 S Of those we touch.?

' t( S/ ]2 |# D! U7 Z. I: s; h& ] And when the icy winds of death
! N6 u+ q; ^5 b8 Z! }3 E beckon our lasting attention
: M9 L8 r- a1 x( X We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
! G- O3 ?6 T, E) d# [ because of that one pebble
2 s; H, h8 }$ z  G The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
6 ?& q6 t# }: O- f 8/18/03