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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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9 a& w9 w- ?6 z; i8 l8 E8 n5 l 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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) ^5 c! Y- n2 N7 j6 }6 w Heaven3 J y' L. j7 @7 H3 e7 h, q! J9 H
The pebble is worn smooth * t4 D& b) R! F3 ~
Made small over time3 G" I9 `$ A4 J
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
) j* ]+ t$ K2 s8 M- H/ r A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock. b4 A6 }1 i2 E" v
An accidental offspring of a boulder / X- }! ]: {' I5 c' r* S
But just a very small stone.
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7 _' N) z1 ]+ t1 N3 {( \8 ] The pebble's place in our world 2 T* |' u: e$ V/ E) y% m
Is neither understood nor appreciated4 J- x1 {7 k; E& Z$ y3 F. |
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
- n4 h" X ? Y$ U; C% c Its insignificance is transformed
! l( G' @ I1 ]6 s6 ^: s Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond: x3 Y: V% f. P
Its signature of concentric ripples . T4 O# X! g1 t! ~: J7 e2 m
Spiral outwards ' v6 J- T( J9 Y8 p
Moving far beyond itself.# n" n! N( R& Y9 p$ U+ c) B
Gently affecting everything in its wake, @0 @) L2 @( G$ J( ]
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.3 X; C9 s( G0 G+ K) e& ^
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) P7 N. _2 d7 t- I0 { By unleashing its unimagined power?
/ V3 k+ Z `" f* P0 z. j b% E Into a dueling force of action and reaction2 I# R& W; m2 f1 K
Creating karmic energy/ e5 \# i8 R3 P; h: Z8 V
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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% M) x+ G% x! z7 J Aren't we all pebbles?
/ h5 z8 i6 H# t Feeling small and insignificant7 ]( ~- B& O7 k
But ultimately recognizing
d1 m/ H% B B; R0 W2 X That who we are meant to be
7 M# K+ q/ m' N. w# w Can never be measured in isolation* |( L5 W! L1 w2 p8 s
on a path into ourselves.: r/ q7 j% v+ ?3 h$ S( l
% S, g% J* p! D" l! P. A It is true then:- r, e! [+ @6 L9 y* i3 A5 l# `
Our everlasting future
- Z$ \, {+ h0 b4 K! t9 l% b& t- z Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
/ o3 g6 e. k" m) O+ K/ H Into the pond of life4 \, \# N, H: ^' Y
Creating ripples 2 S! t" i2 |, {! `# Y
that leave unique mark on our world
& l: @# @! ^' c' I Not because of thoughts
6 }6 m$ j9 [ Z( Q6 N not because of well meaning plans
! o* \7 T2 D+ d3 h8 |* F* `$ [ But because of actions.
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# L: v2 g/ k) y( k5 f8 B1 I Our life's prayers our answered
3 J$ ^' ? B$ y1 m9 ? Because even the smallest pebble
7 Q% P0 `9 Q9 O No matter how seemingly insignificant
9 I! ]$ |% A) o/ N Changes the course of the lives
0 S/ O. M) n; A( k8 k# Y3 l Of those we touch.?
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5 k* O0 M+ H: ], I" e" U And when the icy winds of death% W' M/ P; a1 G2 k: R ^4 ^
beckon our lasting attention
0 Y+ G% q$ m! `6 z We will gently leave this life
; u D' Z- ?. G9 y S4 m+ _6 e9 y With the knowledge that $ H, i `" C# p" v; W
because of that one pebble
+ b) [) n* u d; z6 A The world will never be the same.. k0 s1 U: c# s/ p5 t3 M
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And then we have heaven …3 r/ s& O7 s8 _: {1 Z/ R
2 M) }. ~$ p; h# t) J/ g$ G Ross Rosenberg
( x4 k f9 ?3 a& N$ H0 [6 e 8/18/03 |
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