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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$ e! N" y. i- r6 ^: Y 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.
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Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
7 P$ V( g4 d8 F A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
1 n+ k- N8 b, Y/ C$ j An accidental offspring of a boulder
+ X0 S$ Y& N; p But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
% q+ K* n2 [# X; A0 p0 C0 m But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
) X0 u/ ~$ x* F7 y Its signature of concentric ripples
8 [/ `# q/ a0 d; K) W Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
! d3 Q! p& Z+ E Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

, \% _5 D( j7 h( R The pebble creates its worth and meaning
9 U  w$ N+ ~8 p1 V6 K& Q By unleashing its unimagined power?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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, _6 \- L" C9 }/ L Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
# S; F0 |, j0 E% H- l* ?" e( q+ e Can never be measured in isolation
+ I4 ?: Z5 b2 l/ r  X on a path into ourselves.
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3 Y/ Q* `8 K* j8 c3 ~$ n It is true then:
/ N3 I# X% e4 \  Z8 ?9 I# S2 f! V Our everlasting future
6 G% d* U: G& J  W Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
2 w* e; j( ?1 p5 R Into the pond of life
  t0 H0 d1 z" L  w; c$ o Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
5 _' D/ d9 G) {! r& Y9 ^& o Not because of thoughts
4 i+ h: Q7 c$ @) f$ T8 V8 o not because of well meaning plans
  |# u5 u2 |9 Z But because of actions.

5 A! Q4 }+ h3 H* N$ W; S Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
+ y7 J; H/ s8 k: C4 {1 y+ j% e Changes the course of the lives
8 O8 ]8 k+ @) ]; |' J3 O Of those we touch.?

+ J% D% V3 l6 V/ D And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
0 v' w) p7 z- @ With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
) Z3 |6 {/ B6 U: R The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

/ U7 ]; e2 ^$ ~4 d Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03