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.
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Heaven
$ t" \, [  G6 w The pebble is worn smooth
; e2 G* X- x" ]" g* o$ M$ L( E0 v; v Made small over time
4 R" `: I6 _+ P. ~9 e% X A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
( s- E1 F. w( {5 ~% R A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
) q1 y8 x; r, a$ c But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
/ E8 y9 ]$ g+ n But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
) [, y1 a! |( F! S Its insignificance is transformed
: N" E# a+ s* k! g# i4 J' u7 z+ N Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# I1 o( E: a6 f- q2 h0 \8 k Its signature of concentric ripples
! }! i6 P, M& B; E Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
/ p0 l* N7 J* O9 N8 C2 S Gently affecting everything in its wake
4 i0 w/ O& V4 H" d Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
- N% N0 \* {3 L. \( _3 c By unleashing its unimagined power?
0 \! v4 u: k7 a Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
; B& O3 O% k3 |* m Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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% J$ N: ]& z! q Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
! u) y& a1 M' Q% i) C* q But ultimately recognizing
7 g! J( S# A1 D3 [ That who we are meant to be
# p- m: |- `0 p7 H) l Can never be measured in isolation
0 w2 N# r6 l  c6 m4 Y7 I. | on a path into ourselves.
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% A7 U7 Q, c& |* w; \5 e' U It is true then:
Our everlasting future
( h2 ]8 Z. A4 [- f1 i Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
- H6 g( O6 k3 [ Creating ripples
! c( T, j0 l% h: S$ b& j that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
, d; M0 o8 n' s No matter how seemingly insignificant
Changes the course of the lives
2 y+ A0 G0 l% N: B Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
- ?- i0 W7 k! E8 |$ C beckon our lasting attention
We will gently leave this life
2 @6 K  A7 _+ Y With the knowledge that
" f" J' i) c6 f+ J because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …
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' Y+ o0 v+ f* ?/ u0 a$ C Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03