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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9 W5 x$ g+ b" e1 {. w% i Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
8 ^0 e; d1 Z0 h+ h' [% k A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
" \, k/ ^9 U0 c: F% A0 p6 o A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
( P' k' A" M, p* \7 i An accidental offspring of a boulder
  k" g+ C9 |( |" T( ^  L8 Z/ H5 Z But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
/ Y' V+ [+ v( F" A Is neither understood nor appreciated
7 _+ T: y  Y! I! u3 q' ? But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
- {$ y; u% e- ^' ? Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

, w2 G" a: G: B8 b* H$ x! B7 ] The instant the pebble kisses the pond
* @2 I% h7 D/ F, _0 v, Z2 s Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
, |0 I) Q2 V' f1 c4 J9 G) f" C Gently affecting everything in its wake
" e' V! d! B# @0 K 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
. n( ~2 q! h9 ], D' a) V Creating karmic energy
+ V3 r* F" K, P5 W( ~: _0 D8 _ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
" \8 K0 D- w, _& D/ i/ C2 A# L That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

: D6 b3 L) J* _: K$ d It is true then:
1 g! p( J5 a- O) F Our everlasting future
/ O4 m7 V: P2 ?; }  t* ~ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
! B5 b  _# Y1 d* a3 r: s" [ Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
5 [1 Q! h6 J  }) r that leave unique mark on our world
0 k. v& w( r+ @9 d3 W$ ~ Not because of thoughts
) W/ g  E! [( G6 k not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

5 _3 X0 f) }# k5 w: Z6 f' p; Q; Z Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
: n1 W) z: @0 r- ]0 c1 h; D No matter how seemingly insignificant
+ s# }/ T8 }) |' L- C Changes the course of the lives
# e! t! [3 J" c9 \ Of those we touch.?

" c8 e3 m1 {/ t. y$ s) O And when the icy winds of death
' L& u8 f9 l" q# b5 N beckon our lasting attention
5 X9 z+ W3 y; N4 y9 N# H" ? We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
; {( ]- n0 }# G& h' T2 I because of that one pebble
. \6 G9 B$ q" D The world will never be the same.
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2 c$ Q! K4 M2 P0 b( J) x And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03