 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
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 b, |, b4 D, q. X
/ x; H8 s g/ R/ H, B# H r 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.
# R! p" K- I& w / Q; W$ N2 f( H Q7 X% W
Heaven3 k/ l/ i& T' o) p! q0 Y& e0 K+ p
The pebble is worn smooth
& d" q% I" {" q4 @8 B2 }2 f, v Made small over time
" Q5 M* `( i, y5 n" _ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature) Y0 Y2 z/ X7 D+ _* p8 G
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
4 k$ b4 c& x/ p! w An accidental offspring of a boulder
2 X: s l$ Z1 W, R7 ~ But just a very small stone.
' i* j0 P6 b# @2 H* `: Y
: |% y* l0 L- G$ ` D The pebble's place in our world * |# m U# Q# k F* n$ Z
Is neither understood nor appreciated, v: f) p5 d6 K* h7 j
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond : {' v* Z: j' g& g6 e# r
Its insignificance is transformed5 v8 f5 j+ Q0 ?4 [$ S0 R# X
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
1 t4 ?5 ?' Y; F& C
' y+ t' K) J8 u+ u! n% F# J' C The instant the pebble kisses the pond! l$ i8 H* s6 w
Its signature of concentric ripples
c- m* S5 j' c% g" H( s Spiral outwards
4 h0 ~9 m/ N# A" v% k6 e Moving far beyond itself.% \* m( I9 O# D: F' g' g
Gently affecting everything in its wake$ S# Z! P( G; ?' O3 r }
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.% l0 A) ?9 i+ h) G8 |# F
' ^% g) j9 j3 Y4 p0 v2 }' J. Z. B3 _& F
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
4 b4 L; \, Q8 K/ n; [ By unleashing its unimagined power?
0 H, x: R* H% F; s# n5 l8 o Into a dueling force of action and reaction7 z1 P# h& ^: D2 ]
Creating karmic energy! a2 X& F3 d6 E) ^
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
. F9 c9 a: O) J
: k8 T7 w" e% `5 U6 ~% ] Aren't we all pebbles?: n2 f0 ~2 U1 h( N, K" p+ H/ x
Feeling small and insignificant6 |# @+ [ \4 M1 r! U
But ultimately recognizing + |. b" z0 q% {0 I0 [) `* I- T
That who we are meant to be6 H7 `# X1 d7 }, V
Can never be measured in isolation j& {) B% A+ {3 ~' o {7 o" U
on a path into ourselves.
5 u+ R2 L( E) x% E
2 w8 d0 d: {$ h% z6 o' p5 y It is true then:- ]: I/ h+ M+ P- b- W3 V" s
Our everlasting future " H4 G2 E* i" g- T7 u" u) E8 y
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles/ d8 L# _2 X0 F7 ]
Into the pond of life
: y3 C# e, z3 N! {/ n, _ Creating ripples
0 M0 u8 v$ j, u that leave unique mark on our world 5 @2 k4 C2 b: o1 L; U7 p
Not because of thoughts
: R, I' [0 a' ^ not because of well meaning plans; y9 t& q; r8 \# {" [: l
But because of actions. 7 s2 d2 q2 b; A( J
0 p: T1 \% j2 q; z2 D* Y Our life's prayers our answered P. |5 o7 p1 P% j9 g% U' J5 }
Because even the smallest pebble
1 M' e8 b) M5 D! z No matter how seemingly insignificant
1 H, B' s( `) {8 t Changes the course of the lives2 n: q9 H w% z9 B4 m
Of those we touch.?
" L( n8 B! L; F: u, m. Z
0 D5 E! P! r" h, P6 U0 r And when the icy winds of death e6 M$ n7 N3 J" v
beckon our lasting attention7 h, `/ C0 F$ t$ V7 u2 _% ]
We will gently leave this life
\ j! t( H9 l; O5 A$ B# P) |: ] With the knowledge that 4 p1 A; ?* Y& B0 O) Q, D
because of that one pebble
/ m6 u/ }( ]5 n6 t ^: }" x& B H The world will never be the same.
8 |3 u0 `/ d, Z3 }& X 5 \: P1 x5 i/ N# S' p
And then we have heaven …3 ~1 w2 T3 g3 x& Q9 G H
: j, [) ?" c5 B4 m+ ]$ x* U; h1 l
Ross Rosenberg
1 {3 a& Q; [! Q/ H: } 8/18/03 |
|
狗仔卡
发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
提升卡
置顶卡
沉默卡
喧嚣卡
变色卡
显身卡