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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. . d( B Q/ \4 g( ?
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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
" w6 V6 w. y3 E- B# { The pebble is worn smooth 8 c$ R( R" G8 n; F+ R8 G/ M
Made small over time+ J7 Y: C3 Q8 g* M# d
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature J' O# u1 c, N+ {$ e# Z
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock6 V; t6 ~' _# j. J$ h" [
An accidental offspring of a boulder
6 D% ?3 {3 r( F! D [ But just a very small stone. ' f- C' M+ a: z1 b
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The pebble's place in our world
" e T o) _! G. Y( g Is neither understood nor appreciated& r5 l% o- N- r1 S9 c8 @0 E' m4 \& O
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond ( ?, a& I; {/ `$ f! l4 f& `: [ k
Its insignificance is transformed
8 E M Z: U* V5 H9 l Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.& f q+ B4 u% e9 b
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond/ G: E$ a, X* [# S, E) X2 j
Its signature of concentric ripples 4 p2 ~5 L4 O! e8 r
Spiral outwards # M0 l: x7 o- {. s
Moving far beyond itself.
5 C# l" v/ y5 |* N Gently affecting everything in its wake3 U, n! @% h, ~5 i/ i. `) b/ d
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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( |: L- N7 g' N) d8 O3 ]# c The pebble creates its worth and meaning
5 k( D3 r- k; X0 ^& i By unleashing its unimagined power?
' g$ Y2 O) m; o I1 b$ \2 Y8 A Into a dueling force of action and reaction
! J/ M5 `, `; l Creating karmic energy
, A$ j, K/ \) {3 S+ p Producing lasting and fluid impressions.: |+ G" ?& m% x7 k
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Aren't we all pebbles?
/ G1 H* o8 f' e- E8 p+ Y5 I Feeling small and insignificant7 Y& X) u4 p7 _, B3 E* b6 z# A! G
But ultimately recognizing
2 h4 @: k Y' C2 s% T" r6 Z That who we are meant to be
' G; J0 }2 _4 w- P7 @ Can never be measured in isolation3 a- b/ W$ u+ N$ x" r
on a path into ourselves.
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4 X5 t8 ?3 A" K+ C4 l9 `: k It is true then:6 a& D8 J" h$ Q k3 U8 k
Our everlasting future " i# {3 l& W2 v: ?0 e/ G# ]
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
/ Q5 S3 c& q3 f( U* ^1 O Into the pond of life
: \7 S. l8 P+ C' ]1 t! O Creating ripples
1 e) E4 n# I1 }1 y* I2 o8 J# y that leave unique mark on our world
6 y% n( b, d$ I% Y& \ | Not because of thoughts ! s1 h8 [4 i! @3 y/ ^( m
not because of well meaning plans
" \4 x ~; U/ P* M# T But because of actions.
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. K( l8 N9 B9 ^0 |! K6 I: i Our life's prayers our answered4 e" U! y6 P* g4 c
Because even the smallest pebble
0 u/ `: n2 @3 S$ w0 i, J No matter how seemingly insignificant1 V$ j( x! h" k1 |- w
Changes the course of the lives
8 `# U- `5 E4 t9 n$ X8 I, Q4 } Of those we touch.? 6 g/ h# p0 [, \7 [. D, [0 ~$ t. \& `$ I
: Q! [. E; J3 o4 B3 {+ s And when the icy winds of death$ s( C1 v0 w! ~
beckon our lasting attention
. I( o( I( p- U3 p We will gently leave this life 2 U7 L% x+ m/ x2 f g0 ~4 M
With the knowledge that 2 s2 U9 k. a$ a& w
because of that one pebble ( e" }8 c7 r& B; W [
The world will never be the same.
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+ ~) D+ q) m( ^8 v2 I And then we have heaven …; o( D. o) [6 R# V7 K3 p2 R
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Ross Rosenberg0 ?' b/ @. j) i+ K2 J4 m/ ^
8/18/03 |
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