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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% j  g6 i) u+ D( g 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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$ [% \6 {5 |* q9 K( _ Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
1 Z4 S. ~* `1 ~% K: L+ t9 z Made small over time
5 j3 s; d! A& u; O! W; b: T+ P A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
/ Z: M8 y, P  u" H5 {+ s A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
' N" z* k0 |0 h8 K) R* ^  | Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
2 j$ L7 Z' l, W( ^; X Spiral outwards
4 v) U4 k/ d) n$ _; w Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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' Z7 M! A4 v: _, ^& j The pebble creates its worth and meaning
+ N7 K3 p1 I# a* {2 G3 p- ]! G  O By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
  A, k5 y; R( G5 [. G. k! \$ W4 ` Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
0 K% N( Y% b* Q4 D: @9 k- W1 u Can never be measured in isolation
% H8 }0 ~$ }( {+ l on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
( V6 N0 y9 x8 _9 b7 n Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
0 k/ x) X0 |, u, S: J, Q' M that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
; n, D* z, F4 r( S not because of well meaning plans
# J# C: i$ `: F' M) ~/ h But because of actions.
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4 L+ m( D0 J/ L Our life's prayers our answered
/ G* |" w4 x0 s' H/ E Because even the smallest pebble
; u8 ?& g3 J6 Z4 I4 I7 N3 l No matter how seemingly insignificant
( \! [- Q9 E/ m, X, C Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
9 K/ y+ }3 J" _: i+ ]3 R beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
3 n3 A9 o, i/ |1 h8 Y+ s" \6 Z because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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: E" S# f, g+ C, W, r, K5 t And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
  M7 q+ k8 h# Q! \6 y+ H4 e8 p 8/18/03