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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. , }2 N& S( j* ?' D+ L
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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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# b5 X- E7 ?, K! j: U( B$ [ Heaven* l' u7 ?3 L/ a$ ~% s2 i; L K. C4 ?
The pebble is worn smooth
+ u& c1 i4 k1 \8 z8 C* ^ Made small over time, @$ G6 y' L2 B& h) M$ C5 ?
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature7 X$ l( I: M) T4 }. @, V: U
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock: b# k" \# k2 V% k$ \7 p7 P
An accidental offspring of a boulder ' A; V6 \7 [: ]
But just a very small stone.
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, T) j$ E2 [! w% @ The pebble's place in our world * c# ~2 O+ h, ?$ _2 t
Is neither understood nor appreciated
+ e3 H+ B' d+ A But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
; z) d' ^! P2 o# P/ W Its insignificance is transformed
1 C9 u7 [# v3 u Z! w1 [ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.3 u; J! Z# [; f( H
* y3 z" c% Z. H H5 I( E The instant the pebble kisses the pond9 a; ]+ H" o+ Z
Its signature of concentric ripples
# W/ W) }- ~+ J/ R/ V Spiral outwards
7 |" W: w! C% f T q# o Moving far beyond itself.3 I, |' z; |) V! G
Gently affecting everything in its wake$ Z3 Q6 }. a( b0 |3 ~% e% d
Forever altering the smooth placid surface. ]; K; M) A6 x5 I; P4 D
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning + |) _5 ]: {6 R( T/ U
By unleashing its unimagined power? 7 i. n6 ?5 ^2 G. o {
Into a dueling force of action and reaction6 U) k& o+ u6 z
Creating karmic energy* d' F0 Y' d. M8 P" _, D
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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1 g/ q; D0 ~- U) ]* U7 a Aren't we all pebbles?
& @$ x2 O0 ^4 M D$ N: @ Feeling small and insignificant
U* C/ O0 g8 m3 S# |2 C But ultimately recognizing
6 M5 O6 d2 S4 U; K* c3 R That who we are meant to be
! y9 N2 m1 K6 f2 m B$ ] Can never be measured in isolation6 X% X: O# O9 d+ f b) F9 J
on a path into ourselves.( C: e; n" O. I" h
6 u* D! P! I" W: h8 h$ K It is true then:& s8 X* {# @6 t7 f
Our everlasting future / C7 v( l: l6 C# M+ u
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
$ a0 ]* C3 g5 \4 I Into the pond of life
; h8 b/ |" X3 ] Creating ripples , {: e- e# b6 `; L. c2 c* J" O
that leave unique mark on our world 0 }; e. O7 \& W) K
Not because of thoughts 4 p, p$ {+ g4 g% I) n4 s; M' b, h2 S
not because of well meaning plans8 [- _/ l7 p" p/ B% |+ Z, [( u
But because of actions. 0 o9 ~, n6 l0 x% p- H8 I
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Our life's prayers our answered
* a3 `/ P% _" G1 {: S Because even the smallest pebble : E5 D% U: I5 R" J) s
No matter how seemingly insignificant8 K+ e* r* A" g% m8 {! g
Changes the course of the lives
2 U7 J' V: Y1 B" v% g8 {, x" | Of those we touch.? , ]( M/ P, w- H2 C1 u% {$ L
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And when the icy winds of death4 O* ]& k$ p* R" o% s
beckon our lasting attention+ O2 w9 l7 O7 U/ w
We will gently leave this life
& L- I# b& y7 V+ H1 j1 w( q With the knowledge that ; j: A9 a. W, H7 T- u9 L% Z
because of that one pebble 8 ? q) C$ V- L& I" r
The world will never be the same.
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# C. [) h! R0 `5 Y And then we have heaven … N, P N5 B) [$ c& k' u) ^' C! i
- @* D2 |$ X6 A Ross Rosenberg
" z" _0 r: N( s* K 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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