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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4 T, M8 w; O" v4 O5 w1 b& T 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
The pebble is worn smooth
Made small over time
8 V" X4 G- f$ H/ r7 z' \ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
An accidental offspring of a boulder
% v5 a1 u3 Q3 G! Y But just a very small stone.
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/ m& ~& r; o1 o, K7 \$ n  N. o The pebble's place in our world
Is neither understood nor appreciated
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
Its insignificance is transformed
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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# r- p5 k; \9 ^" t' v" `7 R) S The instant the pebble kisses the pond
Its signature of concentric ripples
1 u% d/ j) |2 A Spiral outwards
Moving far beyond itself.
" T9 b, m0 R: m' G Gently affecting everything in its wake
8 t7 h. g+ L$ F# o. s Forever altering the smooth placid surface.

0 y& `) ~1 o; {+ a. t+ ~ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
/ H' m6 K0 X  O5 | By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 z/ {. @) P" Z7 k Into a dueling force of action and reaction
4 z0 O) w8 o- N6 a Creating karmic energy
" B  E5 F3 C- l& f" {1 l Producing lasting and fluid impressions.

Aren't we all pebbles?
: V5 H6 [" C7 j; h/ ]4 B+ X( m Feeling small and insignificant
* R: n+ \! {4 R$ U6 ^+ |/ |4 `) g But ultimately recognizing
$ H8 C7 K* A5 [% l7 S' { That who we are meant to be
Can never be measured in isolation
on a path into ourselves.

It is true then:
8 n* a* Q3 V6 q6 }5 Q. N" j% c5 } Our everlasting future
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
Into the pond of life
Creating ripples
that leave unique mark on our world
: g4 U1 G0 C) I& O, J% g  z Not because of thoughts
not because of well meaning plans
But because of actions.

! J$ W, U0 _" k1 L3 R0 a: ] Our life's prayers our answered
7 C/ {% F7 y- p, z8 b" p Because even the smallest pebble
% ~8 J+ R) _* n1 S* _% W( ^2 Y5 q0 } No matter how seemingly insignificant
* l- j7 W5 ~1 o$ C" y9 x; i Changes the course of the lives
Of those we touch.?
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9 S1 h4 _! n7 C. D3 @3 d0 l$ b And when the icy winds of death
beckon our lasting attention
( k5 l7 _7 @3 ` We will gently leave this life
With the knowledge that
because of that one pebble
; A3 I' Q( N; j The world will never be the same.

And then we have heaven …

: T( f1 Q- k0 b$ R* q; f$ a- Q& _/ ` Ross Rosenberg
8/18/03