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.

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
4 @5 P- I" T9 U. @4 ~- ?# h The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
# w& R2 o; I: q A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
" v- X8 A+ P5 A# I! {& z$ J5 m But just a very small stone.
2 j$ `. b' m0 n6 n
The pebble's place in our world
1 V' E: G" ~; D( x* y- |8 I Is neither understood nor appreciated
, Q# X9 {4 _# s( u But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
" b3 @& P1 X' d: {7 e8 T- |2 C$ t- O Its insignificance is transformed
# l% ^4 _4 G( X0 X Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
; k6 j2 h9 k( g; S8 B+ _
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
( x: Q3 B1 W2 U# d/ \, \2 \/ u Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
% @! }; S+ b+ l Gently affecting everything in its wake
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
- g; U+ m9 x0 f1 r4 `$ | Into a dueling force of action and reaction
; r+ m6 ]  y' I4 \/ e Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
9 |$ W$ ?8 V5 q( s3 D6 q6 t Feeling small and insignificant
. q, s% c2 s! W/ d- U5 u5 I But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
( c% q0 b; P, T: C  ?. } Can never be measured in isolation
: Y. U! C' V! d2 P on a path into ourselves.

, D) m7 ~( ]6 O3 [; {2 D It is true then:
Our everlasting future
& x- g4 u: x$ Q9 w: R1 y: t1 P7 Y Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
; g- A9 P3 R% z. t2 e* a Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

5 g) h! o; G. G/ `! ~, b$ q Our life's prayers our answered
7 K9 U2 G; ^2 a Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
! z9 ?5 b' E/ S. }: J5 \ Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?

& |+ B( X+ G2 _% S2 Z And when the icy winds of death
8 q" C& g7 m/ X7 R; { beckon our lasting attention
% M6 g9 a+ p, F* ] We will gently leave this life
' B: g: K) E( J4 N. T& d With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.
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( p, e/ W. x8 R# W# D( l7 ? And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
  f" |3 w: [8 g7 ^1 t0 V1 @9 F; ~ 8/18/03