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.

$ `0 I: J; _7 P5 v8 y: c8 q Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
( d" E5 e+ l( a9 d9 L) V A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! w: L/ Z5 w% B5 t An accidental offspring of a boulder
* V5 O% h% W# i8 p: p But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
4 {" [, U! R5 q) _) L Its insignificance is transformed
% P6 n2 l; \% O3 V& }% k9 |8 c; e Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
: Z. J$ b& S- x! M1 y Moving far beyond itself.
  b- @6 {- D* T: c) D, p9 ]/ q Gently affecting everything in its wake
9 U0 z3 a. `' ^, C" i Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

  K) Y5 p- D* Z' }- O The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
, d' W% V# A5 U8 \- }8 y' K9 x Creating karmic energy
+ j( T( ?+ {7 E3 y7 @' m1 R Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

- ]( W+ A9 \& e% t4 X( u, e Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
; ?) t* z5 V3 V" J) P That who we are meant to be
( F% z: p" x1 @ Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
4 ~* o7 a/ V8 n  B$ W) W( x( R Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
9 Q0 M' I; k& M/ `$ i Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
. N- `, H, U, a. z not because of well meaning plans
# C$ W% C0 ]% [ But because of actions.
3 X1 I$ u4 Y: R# h- F
5 a- D+ H+ h: i0 j& v Our life's prayers our answered
1 y+ M8 i- k9 X% w* g Because even the smallest pebble
6 l" V5 t& S# B0 u/ X5 u6 T No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
, f/ C* F  y, V4 J: V' q0 @) S Of those we touch.?

3 y8 O4 x3 o- O And when the icy winds of death
0 V, O1 F5 ^* N. X# A beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
) ]4 N6 z# O7 }; B1 ], e7 K because of that one pebble
$ v& |9 p; E- ?) m6 P9 \2 X* o! n* n& V The world will never be the same.

- w; Z/ g$ v+ W9 x) ~( R2 G! y And then we have heaven …
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- E, U9 @$ Q; }9 f' }. V. c Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03