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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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% [8 G5 m+ v2 @% D7 {$ D5 C: y 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.3 ^+ w+ g* B& S1 f- B
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Heaven8 U# {" a* j4 L# P, {
The pebble is worn smooth
/ ?8 H \$ A" X8 ?- {4 ]. o Made small over time
- Q9 U [$ b' g9 A A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
1 b" q+ T2 K$ A A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
0 Q' Z( Y2 @. s An accidental offspring of a boulder # T# K. V, O! U
But just a very small stone. ; m9 ~% h$ S4 ^; `' } O+ M! B
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The pebble's place in our world ; ~5 s Y! g& m. e; p3 W* r& D
Is neither understood nor appreciated
" q1 n* r9 T' o5 t- x8 S' x7 Q But when thrown into a glassy calm pond # y, s6 }( ^1 S; h6 p6 o F
Its insignificance is transformed m9 [- r; O8 G; E
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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# J/ [% P7 k' l# A! q7 z% E The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 N* ]. I" g1 N/ h9 m6 s Its signature of concentric ripples
n; S2 J7 H# ?: L* y5 O Spiral outwards 1 m( H9 G/ u$ h) e0 A _: ?5 O
Moving far beyond itself.0 b0 }- V2 v7 o: H. G# S
Gently affecting everything in its wake' b5 n( F1 X! D" r% ~& T4 T
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning / J/ [3 T) J9 c
By unleashing its unimagined power? . q2 A X8 b2 Q2 ]* G" M
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
8 W' p& c2 D! S2 D- u$ J, h Creating karmic energy
O6 Z, d2 Q! U$ T Producing lasting and fluid impressions." b& l- \1 y; F$ H; H/ V
G: r0 M, N; s" n7 d Aren't we all pebbles?# n8 y7 w- n5 u2 U0 F
Feeling small and insignificant ^6 f0 Q( h9 o9 c% G; H
But ultimately recognizing
# \) m/ ?& z+ v3 R That who we are meant to be
* l) N% I4 s! f$ b+ _/ N Can never be measured in isolation. W! h* a6 g. c$ c( u
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
* G4 y- z8 a5 P! g2 W) Z9 J8 x Our everlasting future : _; m( g* R9 S4 J/ q
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles I" V! s5 y8 U9 F& Z
Into the pond of life
. `9 y* B8 l% I8 [: w! Z Creating ripples 0 [: Y5 h M! E0 H# H7 f3 S
that leave unique mark on our world ( H+ [! A/ R6 G0 U z/ m. j1 X
Not because of thoughts + v5 |7 r, [2 i; [; K
not because of well meaning plans5 h, L* K* ^& K, _) ]/ ^) f/ D
But because of actions.
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, I7 ?6 T7 B0 k' | Our life's prayers our answered
: n- B- {5 o. [7 n) b Because even the smallest pebble
, T. S* F1 o8 }5 i: ^ No matter how seemingly insignificant% v. q: P E9 u) w
Changes the course of the lives
$ g# y; j5 o {/ \, U. y Of those we touch.?
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' F2 o* X( y0 d x And when the icy winds of death9 b; r; @0 m. r: b: _, x
beckon our lasting attention
0 w; b$ e) q! C4 D. B$ ` We will gently leave this life / p0 |. J( A! I+ z* F* O( r$ q J! _
With the knowledge that
9 ? J9 ^$ f S because of that one pebble ! ], x. j' v; j j3 p8 q
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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: e! r$ \; L# l) A9 V4 y Ross Rosenberg
' d6 e- L9 {: U( i 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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