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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1 \/ N; N! ]5 o1 a% h1 P 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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  q* X- r% L- \9 j3 E- [ Heaven
* `) z$ j- i" z The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
! M. A2 {+ w8 g+ H. u. w4 S3 q A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
8 ]& M; J" h  K) D- \" U& }- R A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
( ^% W* U  ?, |& X% Z% I5 S0 Q An accidental offspring of a boulder
& Q! W+ l7 ~. l. f: N But just a very small stone.
2 k4 y- J* ^3 j, Y0 F1 B5 o
The pebble's place in our world
4 s- j8 E4 |& }  N$ G  |/ t$ t Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
* I7 g# W+ `* C Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
1 i/ N' A1 z! ]9 L, h5 {" p8 G
, _# r6 B. d# K% L  C* r The instant the pebble kisses the pond
' f4 x  ]/ R% H$ M. I( k' X$ u: y Its signature of concentric ripples
4 G) B; z; {6 W* x1 a: M Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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9 |1 ~3 B) `2 x0 o% s The pebble creates its worth and meaning
4 ?( C: _) ^+ J1 S0 `5 g0 q By unleashing its unimagined power?
6 s( R8 `8 f+ _% r: c, ] Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
: {# `0 [5 k& i But ultimately recognizing
6 P: s! ?5 U+ b( n That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

$ y+ P3 r9 u& {! E! T& { It is true then:
/ U, w6 P8 T4 x Our everlasting future
0 @9 {4 }& {5 B/ {0 v" j2 a2 D9 W Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
' q+ p3 b7 f3 T% o9 U/ H Creating ripples
! t* v& E1 P5 j# n6 v+ x9 z that leave unique mark on our world
2 d" t! ^: M* J* [7 d: |! x Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
) _$ ~. M* k- x) C. n, p( l But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
1 ~4 V" i, V/ o  b, c$ |4 w( n beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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3 J: Q9 P% X/ `  \ And then we have heaven …

, L6 M% R) ~2 ?# r0 Q- T Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03