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.

- Z" V, T4 ~- P" u 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
The pebble is worn smooth
% L# p- h; {6 b2 O6 y& [$ n! A" [5 k. }& I Made small over time
4 I% R  a, a, j1 ]# [ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
) ?! v( r/ y, u: m A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
$ |' ]. c2 _8 H, ~/ n An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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- ?" D) z3 G3 |" C1 n% _, W' g9 w The pebble's place in our world
$ o8 S7 j6 x6 s2 w, o- S- c7 w1 P Is neither understood nor appreciated
9 _. H* d8 f! V/ g& v/ X6 A) H2 m But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' }6 V" D' U6 F. u6 y Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
+ K3 v. d( F3 V2 K- @7 ?$ p
, i$ R4 d, C2 Y" P: |! F1 R The instant the pebble kisses the pond
% j' i8 X( q% j3 r" E( w Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
8 Z% l4 g" [# p6 l9 o0 c Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
6 m& n8 o9 e8 ~. E Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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$ p2 t) r" S1 Q) k/ T Aren't we all pebbles?
# K. ~7 Y6 `  K" l! c# o# v. A Feeling small and insignificant
. J4 G  c/ `3 I/ ^+ [ But ultimately recognizing
4 a( V, s% U) J( z" N# f That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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; h- q* O2 o. j5 X5 l* R7 N0 w( [ It is true then:
5 R7 H# h8 V$ z' K Our everlasting future
8 W: F: \8 ]+ @ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
; c, [$ k& }, x: Z Creating ripples
$ w: F* z+ J. {8 U. p5 C that leave unique mark on our world
+ w: Z$ m  [+ z$ Y* S Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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$ P: d& k( M' R  D0 M8 k! S2 s4 t; h Our life's prayers our answered
) O6 Y5 Y$ Y; p! q2 S Because even the smallest pebble
3 i! |) n. Q7 M/ \  h7 w No matter how seemingly insignificant
, C2 W" l% K9 d1 Q. C. J) O! T4 K9 R Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
1 H9 J$ |" _# j% M
7 E4 m9 C/ P- ` And when the icy winds of death
+ f, l- T' |, p; ^3 |( f: K9 w beckon our lasting attention
9 f+ u+ f) r% ]8 y We will gently leave this life
) |! Q6 @( n5 K2 V1 H' e With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
* P9 h) k, u0 L- K; B The world will never be the same.

+ ]8 \5 u8 g  f And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
9 y8 E9 Z% g* |6 F+ G' q 8/18/03