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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.) t4 [5 `, ^- H
' o7 b, V3 m& z! O6 X$ V) k: ~8 ?0 Z Heaven
: i: {6 _# S0 C4 T( |7 C The pebble is worn smooth ; l6 j5 m' j& y
Made small over time% l! P: }+ a' i! r; k( O
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
& T5 q; \; Q) Q: r0 [3 c* T1 ~4 ]6 O8 H A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock6 m: @" _! [+ S# A: G
An accidental offspring of a boulder 6 \0 I; E0 p) z' Q+ R0 U, d
But just a very small stone.
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' B1 Y9 V0 O, u* B6 _ The pebble's place in our world
& E# b$ P: E- D7 ?7 x' Y Is neither understood nor appreciated
( J) Z1 V+ W5 V: K( X" M But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 4 U( ~/ O- @5 f4 j
Its insignificance is transformed5 ?9 M, \. t5 \; [% `/ Z
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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! K& |) m6 n4 |' `! P. ]! Z The instant the pebble kisses the pond( j, s2 ?" J3 l' K
Its signature of concentric ripples
: H' c; G4 ], f Spiral outwards # t b4 A+ S+ B( w7 H
Moving far beyond itself.
, P" o6 [% D+ o% X* k6 d" E: f Gently affecting everything in its wake6 B7 K0 F& B! P6 X& G3 f( E& R: W
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.- I1 B* b2 v% D3 n) x6 P3 p1 P
3 H9 R( |7 R) b6 ~* E) b4 C The pebble creates its worth and meaning
# ~0 p- j' _ ]2 i9 H, Y5 g By unleashing its unimagined power?
; W S# w" m1 ^ J Into a dueling force of action and reaction3 j( W% s! Q& H7 W, M$ J
Creating karmic energy3 ?( p! D/ n+ g7 Y
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.+ o9 }% t7 t1 M6 R2 J. v( T1 E
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Aren't we all pebbles?0 R8 @+ O0 ~( U1 K' }! e+ y
Feeling small and insignificant
* \5 m' M, k" M4 P But ultimately recognizing
}1 q+ E' a% U! E That who we are meant to be3 N1 @! |3 |* |& q1 A( U# ]
Can never be measured in isolation% V2 Z6 J5 [& P1 d) Q
on a path into ourselves. S) ?* @2 Q# u ~
! z5 u8 X: o! Z( t It is true then:
0 q) u+ D# k# Y! }2 S. y Our everlasting future 1 {1 f/ Y5 m1 e" p) a( Q
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles8 v B2 j7 \9 [& c
Into the pond of life% c0 N$ K! h" i/ J$ C8 x, H
Creating ripples / H8 S t" W7 s! Z$ L
that leave unique mark on our world 9 J* e( x$ M6 {% b& X5 q3 p
Not because of thoughts * x* m& q) R3 L6 {5 K2 N
not because of well meaning plans
! O, c6 E" U) X5 Y: `. o But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
5 ? t7 Z+ {9 w% Q4 J4 F+ ] Because even the smallest pebble % q8 N+ {% a6 j3 z1 L0 x% ^2 M
No matter how seemingly insignificant
: q$ \- C9 _% J0 K0 h" { Changes the course of the lives
7 @ o0 K& z' j, m3 b5 | Of those we touch.? ; |6 D: S* I3 L. s: I" R
/ t3 }+ j; i( W( {. B- x* g And when the icy winds of death$ } O$ U7 {: s0 G4 u9 l1 D3 m
beckon our lasting attention0 _% O2 ~) N% y( r
We will gently leave this life
}4 j+ n' P" P0 z& C7 z With the knowledge that 3 [7 e6 c' k F7 d2 k
because of that one pebble 6 p) c# k2 |7 c, t' K: J
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …% }) S2 X1 o' p3 q
6 P0 J& o7 N) y+ D$ T; a" L6 y- A Ross Rosenberg
5 J$ A+ P) a# C- ^, z. l 8/18/03 |
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