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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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! z* J# s& V+ x! ] 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.4 W$ I C! Q* W) L$ h; S
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Heaven
+ F- B3 ~! h: d6 Z8 E1 e6 S: c+ w The pebble is worn smooth
6 U6 j! W6 i: r, y; s8 z Made small over time7 ?$ n# z; E% R: [, G0 H7 c
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature V) O- E3 f& V5 @% g2 b) `: W/ E! M: a
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! z1 F4 Y- H9 \8 a An accidental offspring of a boulder
5 \( k) R5 |" l% N) u4 Q But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
, i; W8 v) x4 X# o. L7 X, ]7 N8 H Is neither understood nor appreciated' u9 t! E0 e7 V! E, N0 j$ T
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
- ~3 _' I. Q& Y! ]# C0 s Y Its insignificance is transformed( M% W% M) K* F3 i$ S
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond' f) m4 ^" G+ y- f; S# a4 o
Its signature of concentric ripples 7 @; I6 S4 M. V$ c# e- @
Spiral outwards 8 l$ {( n( m5 g
Moving far beyond itself.0 t2 I* P: B5 A+ g8 l# [7 x
Gently affecting everything in its wake& r8 f3 n2 L$ q3 r8 U9 e& u3 A
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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3 j3 G$ D. j) B$ o2 z2 f The pebble creates its worth and meaning
+ _% N8 E5 G( Y: w3 @ By unleashing its unimagined power?
8 M) `5 f" Q+ D; a5 D" ]$ u% O& g( M Into a dueling force of action and reaction8 D! l" ?, _* A% _2 J/ Z
Creating karmic energy
, X; y( F: r5 O1 {5 |% i Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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3 d5 L+ ?: l; f, \ n Aren't we all pebbles?3 @: C# a/ H/ p2 M
Feeling small and insignificant
. l! q2 q( }# B7 K$ n1 t' y But ultimately recognizing ! P1 r5 @1 i6 h1 }1 {
That who we are meant to be' T& V8 k O/ ?4 l- @2 \+ G
Can never be measured in isolation
, [% L0 N# V* o, Y! M on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:, I6 [# n; M7 o g1 n. F) d
Our everlasting future
3 R$ h( f4 q5 Q4 ^! k Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles. }5 k: c9 ^0 V' z5 g' d8 c9 ~
Into the pond of life
t3 S$ O6 H9 T. Y& M, J! \3 I) O# U Creating ripples
. F* E/ u: _# ~ that leave unique mark on our world
9 U3 `% |/ V. f Not because of thoughts
; x5 }6 R7 ~% g- ?# d not because of well meaning plans5 k/ t8 ^- }/ Z( E7 b
But because of actions. , o, `! J9 N/ ?8 t
" r Y" m; x! h2 a* q: z Our life's prayers our answered! P, `9 f0 S! K7 @: \9 I1 E
Because even the smallest pebble 5 @3 ~; T8 ?* H6 w, R9 x
No matter how seemingly insignificant1 x6 L& z9 b' p4 N$ Z1 `/ y
Changes the course of the lives
_2 ~) c6 S# D) Q- C0 M Of those we touch.? / i! K: D* \# w( J( Q$ J
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And when the icy winds of death5 J5 D. d. N7 U& H! _
beckon our lasting attention. ]4 \' g# l% U+ Q3 @( q
We will gently leave this life
/ J0 v5 P, e7 Y" P With the knowledge that / J$ O- [* a/ P$ d" r4 s
because of that one pebble 0 g9 a5 v, J- X; n
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …; i$ A! ^0 T( R& X3 P) b
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Ross Rosenberg
# ]. y! X& u9 g5 _ 8/18/03 |
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