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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/ a5 N7 K% L. k7 A6 ]6 M' b1 P/ H 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
  o3 T* D5 Q1 j& N* I  B The pebble is worn smooth
, V+ {* Z! E$ T Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
9 [3 l5 |; S' k! L; k$ K# w. ` A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.

5 \$ N: J2 X* I' j: ?- C. J The pebble's place in our world
6 I" n9 N3 x2 I6 n Is neither understood nor appreciated
3 Y6 c# X3 A4 k2 a  o& c1 R But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
: l" |- {$ n" j' c: G8 Z$ q Its insignificance is transformed
0 W- q' ^: Y2 `8 B7 S# t( \ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
) T3 h4 p8 b9 a; P0 M- b, D6 f Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
- R2 x1 R6 N; @" k Moving far beyond itself.
$ E6 A& T+ H* V Gently affecting everything in its wake
5 a) g% \" e3 S* h Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
' O; F; w! i" y5 x5 E By unleashing its unimagined power?
/ `0 _  H: C- T$ }( Y Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

' D/ v- H  T' J& {+ [! h Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
$ Z* x( N# z" B! |, j4 Y1 a% b Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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& J6 K, y8 D( y: _2 K# w+ o' I It is true then:
! C( |9 `6 l+ G+ J2 } Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
. G6 a0 h) R7 @' v" r' ^ that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

1 E; d1 G( I) x0 j, c Our life's prayers our answered
6 V* v4 d, Y  \- c' y Because even the smallest pebble
9 _  E2 d: B' X# U No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
; F1 B% N$ i! G Of those we touch.?
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) X5 H5 G( q) E7 {/ K% R And when the icy winds of death
& R: Y# L- U4 f5 Z+ b7 q beckon our lasting attention
$ l! {4 a% f/ C  {- I6 K We will gently leave this life
) Z. e% u/ i8 D  T/ V! {; m With the knowledge that
7 Z7 F: t2 N! _2 \2 k because of that one pebble
7 h0 f" p6 \- D2 s  |4 f4 s The world will never be the same.
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2 x7 O3 Q6 B0 X$ Z, D( I And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03