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.

/ n" w' t2 \- O Heaven
& L& }8 d  C4 F# c The pebble is worn smooth
: V) a. D" ~5 O# C* G5 L- N7 q Made small over time
+ ?- X4 {0 c! [9 o. U( Q; A: O% f A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
8 ^. @/ ~4 A( c An accidental offspring of a boulder
; `1 ]- y6 M5 d- q  `; A But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
. j$ L; m% M* i+ C% z0 |1 D Is neither understood nor appreciated
3 W( d9 k9 U, s5 _8 C# ` But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
3 W3 P- s# x' J! \  t Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
* B1 D1 V- l$ t# \6 Y( B Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
6 [  t" n" B& T0 L Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
! L# {) Y+ t4 P Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

- `6 J) m& [7 G* R7 K2 C) T The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
' A  D- o6 d' `$ y: a/ n Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
$ |" A6 Q* W/ K# F on a path into ourselves.
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5 c$ A1 h( L7 |! S: H1 I It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
% s/ V  P, q1 s" f Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
9 S$ I8 g- d! Z) j/ h' H Not because of thoughts
- @" l$ G  N  e not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

5 s$ K5 O# `1 {2 Q3 V, b Our life's prayers our answered
$ `6 C: r, j: r0 K Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
2 T: Q- F& f( P1 ~# J
And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
! z; c% k3 j' q: x1 j1 _% R We will gently leave this life
: c) c5 L' L$ l% X6 P With the knowledge that
$ A% x! h$ s5 w# W: P' A because of that one pebble
. u/ E+ T1 b/ s The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
7 x+ W8 v0 {) r" V- R# T& @  S0 H2 l 8/18/03