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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8 e+ Q! U; |6 n. c& a 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.

Heaven
2 H  p- [& P9 f6 |# ?- c* D The pebble is worn smooth
; x% S/ N  G! M* N Made small over time
7 l; {9 J; n1 ]9 r% ] A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
9 l0 X3 b! g# Y A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
. O& \, s$ j$ `9 j( t' p& `$ x An accidental offspring of a boulder
2 M5 }, r. o  i/ y. a* t But just a very small stone.

5 R1 ^' X7 X) D; P) U The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
: z) L! {/ n: |" t2 x+ k2 b9 L/ D6 z Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
, ^# W9 ]6 D# v+ P# k/ E+ r- d: b Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
* z  e7 |) F& V2 u  x By unleashing its unimagined power?
, C+ ^) g: Y% a- i Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
) X3 F8 j9 R& o/ l& o Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
8 t5 `3 K- _0 i But ultimately recognizing
/ o6 z3 S9 l' O$ c' Q5 E That who we are meant to be
6 S$ e9 N, J, V4 [ Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
7 a& g6 S& r. @2 i+ M5 [% ~) K Into the pond of life
( B. D5 j$ \. C7 e$ }  z Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
5 _+ M9 [: m$ N0 z0 _
Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
, o# R* S% V) g Changes the course of the lives
5 F/ C/ F3 O! p% ?* V; p* s Of those we touch.?
4 a+ L" x. ^; s7 D) O
5 r! Z2 ^$ {- x! u0 Z( D And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
4 y* K+ ^  f/ T- A We will gently leave this life
& R* d  X! ^; G+ M( y# [8 i- I* w1 f With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
( m7 f3 K0 h7 \0 O. @; d The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
* y2 Q+ L) S( l' p6 s  { 8/18/03