 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. - s6 c6 g3 V5 H" m# `
_! m/ ?: y9 i" d6 X3 [1 ]
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.& z/ }; k+ S3 U& U) z& L2 n
9 ~* A- T! _! g+ N) j/ b3 h
Heaven
0 f1 _3 Z4 @- B1 o The pebble is worn smooth ) Y J9 H; y- V, e+ i$ b+ S/ f
Made small over time# {2 P0 K, s: D a
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature/ a. m. g! e. n/ f
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock- k) V5 T4 X! R7 g6 o3 r0 [6 f+ _
An accidental offspring of a boulder 1 Z* x) Z/ R. m
But just a very small stone.
. @- x3 V& K( N9 C" G8 t
: @' g0 B# ^) G( \ The pebble's place in our world
0 `! K+ o! T. ], h4 S Is neither understood nor appreciated- E0 D% Z+ N3 b# O0 N& L) k
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond % Q* I" R1 M8 u$ T9 O+ }$ f
Its insignificance is transformed9 t' `9 A5 ^. K4 d9 b
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed., V! t) ?; m* Z) Q$ }
" S2 [! Y1 T0 K6 g+ a' P3 x The instant the pebble kisses the pond/ r5 Y( Q1 J. g3 U. x$ i# Y" y
Its signature of concentric ripples 2 B; `7 K @8 G- ^8 k0 V
Spiral outwards . N, j* G3 A% ?' G
Moving far beyond itself.
8 j i9 w, y# `9 E, z& e o Gently affecting everything in its wake
; B1 i& Z3 Z& D. X4 p. u% V3 p. H3 C Forever altering the smooth placid surface." v0 m2 B# j2 s% y* R0 x3 I
% B3 b9 z/ b" e$ q% Y: l( |
The pebble creates its worth and meaning 5 F8 ]0 l' q h; [2 `
By unleashing its unimagined power?
" I4 K3 S$ F8 ^9 p Into a dueling force of action and reaction& u F) e2 D+ l m3 `6 S
Creating karmic energy8 P# s' {" x5 Z& m! [1 o6 U/ G
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
n2 `2 d: M0 Y% w$ u$ M. ^
7 V- H- D$ D% ?* T4 c Aren't we all pebbles?
# A! L% {4 n& h3 V4 M2 Y* @ Feeling small and insignificant& ?0 b# c' m0 ^& \& p
But ultimately recognizing - T/ Z1 x" v, M9 G2 u- Y
That who we are meant to be
9 z {+ u# I; l; D% w; B Can never be measured in isolation0 i% w0 a3 {: v
on a path into ourselves.1 e6 W5 ~& |8 h/ R W
6 U* |9 U+ N, r7 G. {$ V
It is true then:
7 ^" q% r, y4 R7 ^. A Our everlasting future
# I# W& w/ y ]; B/ A O$ m Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
) W% T) G5 v+ s& s. S8 b Into the pond of life. L$ b0 V/ \3 T+ O8 z& k
Creating ripples ' o3 s# u" W4 x
that leave unique mark on our world ( n+ {4 S* k E" D- w w2 i( h; A
Not because of thoughts
+ r2 V( Z) o$ \( ]) z8 g0 X0 D% D% v) ` not because of well meaning plans: [+ X6 O7 y( T8 Y& K# j! m4 X
But because of actions. ! L U6 V! X' Y' q: p
& k" h- f# i6 Q. Z
Our life's prayers our answered; m# i6 d. L+ ^
Because even the smallest pebble 8 _ I: n& f' m* K
No matter how seemingly insignificant
2 H" _8 L* F8 ~6 P Changes the course of the lives; u; ^9 ~ Q9 _: Z0 }. \
Of those we touch.?
J, o: e0 m( @5 W: I9 ] N 5 H6 b0 H* L- [0 q0 i
And when the icy winds of death8 m" w, E- N) C, w! t# g
beckon our lasting attention
) s2 t5 `, Y# P) @ We will gently leave this life
/ k2 k$ T! U1 h5 [* [" G With the knowledge that
- u3 m) X1 Q6 o because of that one pebble " H+ m! @0 O' l5 f
The world will never be the same.
( j; p1 p( g2 I! v6 B
/ |( F% a# T$ l And then we have heaven …( }/ |0 O1 ]7 ?: j+ O. q" s
$ Z0 T" h! ^* d3 n Ross Rosenberg8 Y5 J# g0 E$ O2 \
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