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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.
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Heaven
/ l4 S- |. Y0 ]" l The pebble is worn smooth . Z1 N) N0 M( B. Z; ]% _7 g I7 Q
Made small over time) b2 d, }; S: f# j1 q
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature% T: R* _7 t8 l! \& m( {
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock. `+ }7 W( N; `3 h K1 n4 u3 d
An accidental offspring of a boulder ; w# j u2 B( z5 T* `1 J) ? t+ }. ^1 r
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world / d9 g6 c! b: X0 M2 y2 B6 f9 E
Is neither understood nor appreciated
# p0 n# u9 S$ h# f; A But when thrown into a glassy calm pond ' m0 C( _/ c5 o) f
Its insignificance is transformed
. \- C" T* x( C! A. @0 Q* p Its meaning and purpose is unleashed. V1 c0 O$ K' d' {7 ?" |# Z& x) ?
+ S. f; P; Q5 H8 J1 h' A The instant the pebble kisses the pond) Y" \9 i [! o# h
Its signature of concentric ripples
9 r& ^+ w1 X; @: b Spiral outwards
" l6 ]( v* u1 U# x8 @& B6 P Moving far beyond itself.# }) J! J1 O8 _! Q- |
Gently affecting everything in its wake
5 C" q6 I4 G3 {: N Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) |3 O$ C$ k3 X# O* M: P# Q/ M By unleashing its unimagined power? ! E. L7 E* H( q1 x1 q
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
9 S& Q' U* t: s1 B* J Creating karmic energy
% ?) L, n% ]8 p+ `/ H, y! [ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
5 j4 ?2 @$ I4 h5 _) a. Q Feeling small and insignificant! Q- X2 ^* j) n2 Z7 V( ]% s5 n
But ultimately recognizing
X/ ~% P, p# Y That who we are meant to be
; r" q7 B4 j2 L7 q Can never be measured in isolation
) w0 B% _# m; ^ on a path into ourselves.; {5 \" N- Y$ N( i3 s9 _$ H
! G# F& o" k. O8 \% r It is true then:
$ _- Z- i( Q/ Q- Z Our everlasting future $ c9 R. X' h; P$ ?1 o+ F
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles- l$ e9 a4 ]+ g* n1 |* T9 N' ]
Into the pond of life( k* y# R D; g8 _0 h% a
Creating ripples
& v6 d1 A- v6 a/ C7 C that leave unique mark on our world , W" c! e O, }/ p) P/ k" _4 t9 L
Not because of thoughts . g# f; z0 R( [, Q9 U( B/ a
not because of well meaning plans$ I. `5 f2 q* ~, f6 ^. J
But because of actions. 4 b* ]! U$ C1 ?
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Our life's prayers our answered) B9 t2 K$ @7 m: N# C: I) h; u
Because even the smallest pebble : m2 t# O6 r/ S8 V
No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 T0 `& {1 w7 ?7 J) t' e Changes the course of the lives
: e% N+ t4 k( S( v, A3 f$ O, m Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
8 w, W# `3 _4 S beckon our lasting attention
( |7 M4 H/ D3 _/ s" D! I We will gently leave this life " U; B/ r1 w* } W
With the knowledge that
0 o, w( v9 w6 P: I' P( C because of that one pebble
( S) M z. P0 s: H1 b The world will never be the same.
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" w* p% a6 a' {0 T5 W- \. d: N And then we have heaven …& ]: E5 b" x* T# r8 i: ~
4 j9 s1 K+ v* {; ~2 V4 r Ross Rosenberg
X8 A# w, t9 D$ \& m7 |. d, U+ { 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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