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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2 l9 q# ~! C! ^" f4 b) p( a 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.
5 u5 \6 R9 w0 ?6 K1 S
# g+ G- q7 ^# i# Q Heaven
# b8 g+ q* S& h* G8 u) l0 q; n! g1 t- y The pebble is worn smooth
+ ?4 W* V/ r) h3 H0 } Made small over time
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
$ @8 J& \& {( m) _ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
* }6 p. p! T9 B$ \% x! R4 X An accidental offspring of a boulder
But just a very small stone.
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8 B3 o: |( C- M/ v" O! ? The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
6 A* l3 x+ \9 a But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
% ]9 i7 d" F+ @ Its insignificance is transformed
5 }  N0 o1 P$ \5 P, ~" C Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
# j$ E1 p1 {  ^/ a
5 [) L1 u& ^% o The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
# I" I. U; }( ~: D9 @1 U7 q$ \ Spiral outwards
4 P( {. y# a4 Z8 V/ V Moving far beyond itself.
3 @1 q4 N7 W/ n1 p4 ?7 { Gently affecting everything in its wake
. C. G3 i0 F7 r, w Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
9 `  @1 i5 x: e9 [5 |4 w
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
By unleashing its unimagined power?
3 {7 c' r5 o7 Y+ Q# ` Into a dueling force of action and reaction
% Q: r! d/ D. b! j/ u2 o Creating karmic energy
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
Feeling small and insignificant
But ultimately recognizing
4 {# j8 K, ^1 a( g4 s  g That who we are meant to be
# G* R4 j! E$ N) J5 h Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
1 i7 q  U/ B: i Our everlasting future
& Y! c1 s* V9 m" l6 V3 s Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
7 u. M& T& o! u! ]/ r2 |8 C- T5 ? Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
8 k+ O/ [5 l+ Q6 [: s( V. R- e4 G, {0 z that leave unique mark on our world
4 \/ z, N% F. \* B( a4 _2 }7 f Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
# s" |3 w) L6 h, `7 E But because of actions.

Our life's prayers our answered
Because even the smallest pebble
No matter how seemingly insignificant
( X0 x3 o/ b$ J7 p% X6 Q Changes the course of the lives
+ m0 {# T) \' P2 g Of those we touch.?

' |, z1 K6 p5 r# ?4 u And when the icy winds of death
. U2 s: ?0 q3 z: q8 D beckon our lasting attention
/ U8 w" H# e1 d& X3 ^' ]: W We will gently leave this life
8 a: Z( v' m8 ^/ W( Z" H' ] With the knowledge that
- u% o# k, f8 y! b0 G because of that one pebble
6 \! s( E! \: I% y) M: M- r The world will never be the same.

5 K3 ]! Q' g0 N And then we have heaven …

Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03