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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; p; k2 r( b% r4 P! V8 i: b* 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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6 X1 r+ H+ B5 S2 z) q) i# g Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
$ i5 K8 P6 Y8 ]' v Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
9 P! h$ b3 K9 B) z: m. j A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
# U2 K" G) c( J+ B; _7 ~& }, C; Q An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
" ^1 \, q9 i+ i) u1 a Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

; p+ z4 H6 r# G& u2 w3 v The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
1 R. `9 g3 h5 O4 ?5 ? Moving far beyond itself.
Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
  Q9 I6 Q% [* G By unleashing its unimagined power?
2 v+ ^7 C% I% U6 t Into a dueling force of action and reaction
Creating karmic energy
( y% ]! P* M) L  b' A Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

0 c6 N, G  c( Z9 Q$ |/ O5 y Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
2 U) P* Q5 N8 }$ f/ P$ ` But ultimately recognizing
* ^; X6 B) g8 H& d8 v1 i$ @( B That who we are meant to be
) m2 N; {( ^2 l9 N$ L: _& J$ W! `4 r Can never be measured in isolation
% w- C' b5 `5 K' y" K- G on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
* D6 z+ K8 w9 s Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
5 Q6 P7 [! G2 a: I Into the pond of life
) r1 c8 Q" k2 V# ^; b Creating ripples
- m4 Z0 D7 M- |8 H! @. ~; [# ~ that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
1 O; B' z0 k5 ^, A) n3 [ But because of actions.

9 u  \( c: k6 O4 s7 R) r6 |  B. w. r Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
% T, u& X1 k1 _. A  G Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

. x) M; _. e/ Y" q! w. b And when the icy winds of death
% \' Q6 ^5 \. Z7 h6 E& Q) r: d2 D beckon our lasting attention
. M7 s! }4 Q- l! d8 h# H We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
: t) K3 P- z" A3 V1 y The world will never be the same.

, g) K0 |$ N5 U; m And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03