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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/ ?' b* @+ b4 } Heaven
The pebble is worn smooth
. N( ?) K$ x% K% _" v! Z8 M) ` Made small over time
. a$ \& @5 {; b6 y9 P9 k! }5 U A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 I7 @8 {6 |* c# x9 {; M A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
3 b6 M7 G6 c: K But just a very small stone.

The pebble's place in our world
' ~! Q0 ~* Z2 g6 v/ P. z8 o Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
" e2 b/ G! c5 N3 h" n: E Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.

1 o) k* ?  v( D6 _) X0 a+ B% U The instant the pebble kisses the pond
* x+ |% A# Z$ c Its signature of concentric ripples
Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
' H5 T* f/ n/ Z' y1 U; n2 H Gently affecting everything in its wake
$ E" C+ H/ c5 ?3 ~+ } Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

" ]' M' W/ P* J( Z% }2 W The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
% y9 P5 Z2 A, _) h1 C8 ?' } Into a dueling force of action and reaction
; Z% O1 ~1 F9 z3 ^5 M Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

" [. A' o3 N- ] Aren't we all pebbles?
4 ^% ^# \+ |# Y( h+ Z* L! f# n2 t2 ?7 D Feeling small and insignificant
* N; e# C1 Q3 n: v But ultimately recognizing
That who we are meant to be
0 C. s3 s+ O6 u) b. ^) b2 ^ Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.
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% E- y2 Z% l( @. c, C6 g% W7 Y) M5 S It is true then:
1 {- N2 B" Q! N Our everlasting future
; V* b7 y, @4 f/ a8 I1 f. K Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
7 D1 s. |0 P+ m4 h$ {6 |6 }+ _ Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
Not because of thoughts
" t% T( F4 b0 |" r# C# r not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
" w" ^- N$ D( V! C3 H, [% J Because even the smallest pebble
# b$ `2 Y! t6 {1 m  f7 A No matter how seemingly insignificant
$ |9 a; b) m3 I; D Changes the course of the lives
2 a! \, [/ N3 p+ t Of those we touch.?

6 u# e  y; r8 T! ?/ B& p And when the icy winds of death
- D3 ^# b6 u5 r+ ?0 ` beckon our lasting attention
& s8 P1 e  @" Z9 k7 g( a We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
/ i9 K5 V( {0 { because of that one pebble
The world will never be the same.

6 q( j4 p+ S; k  h1 g9 _8 ` And then we have heaven …
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0 J1 x& t7 j$ o& R. ^. j9 | Ross Rosenberg
; [8 u. I7 P( X$ Z% |' b( n 8/18/03