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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. $ O' l4 ^! x0 O! J1 X
$ V0 ]% r$ N+ Z4 i 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.* I% ~- ~ q* E) H
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Heaven% K+ ?) U1 L4 x3 l! v" K
The pebble is worn smooth
0 ?% M, J* S' ?7 K Made small over time" S: `9 l' [" ^9 z# X% Z
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature: j6 e; Y2 X( u' [( \( \
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock* J4 x# m. P/ f1 x
An accidental offspring of a boulder
3 V( }- \+ E# s But just a very small stone. 3 m# z9 G [! v$ P+ D) S
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The pebble's place in our world
, m* C+ g" @5 S1 e- t: ~# P' G/ O Is neither understood nor appreciated3 P1 S- J% }' q u4 s8 g5 m
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
j, z" i0 r7 H; F1 C/ ^6 H Its insignificance is transformed6 N( e) e A$ Q4 {. ?0 `
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond% ~& r: o4 N$ q; v
Its signature of concentric ripples 0 k! }; P1 U( n' V4 |, Q
Spiral outwards
& N6 |: j+ V# t' E5 C Moving far beyond itself.
: n5 F8 w! @/ [; L5 X Gently affecting everything in its wake4 h" b$ Z4 X' [
Forever altering the smooth placid surface. P5 Y( x1 e9 U I% \, @6 F
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
3 ?' ~6 k- w6 q$ j- g, }$ w By unleashing its unimagined power?
' |/ {/ U5 D5 O m9 O: k0 d3 ` Into a dueling force of action and reaction
, z# V- s; c; {" I- Q Creating karmic energy( I- N% s8 Y1 R: w# t2 y
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.# _* l, v. _' r3 @( [( I6 t
: o# a/ J( ^" c/ [0 W' M Aren't we all pebbles?7 w3 b+ W; e; p2 M2 U
Feeling small and insignificant$ l1 b/ y) E& U3 p* [$ Y
But ultimately recognizing 7 @5 C' `0 o( e2 ?% C" r0 X
That who we are meant to be
7 x# t* d; _! [4 R) T' V Can never be measured in isolation
; i* U z8 }) `9 n: x on a path into ourselves.
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+ q$ Q6 q: e) \$ R0 g T It is true then:0 I$ d* f+ ~2 i1 k# ~
Our everlasting future # |6 A# @9 E( e, d) r# j
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles3 P) h1 P* P) Y" m- ?5 k
Into the pond of life
" v4 n3 J9 I# m Creating ripples ! _9 x8 Y v) m& r5 d9 g! z
that leave unique mark on our world + t1 I" x/ O5 U. `* E( I
Not because of thoughts 1 T8 l7 [; v; h1 p9 U4 ^
not because of well meaning plans
4 |9 C- }0 f& Z$ P& V# d2 g6 V) W But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
/ X% ?. u- M& i; J, ~ Because even the smallest pebble
! \2 \& N, W! {. B9 u# h No matter how seemingly insignificant. V: ]4 _: b4 p1 |' F- O
Changes the course of the lives8 I5 _0 ^5 Z# d! E# u3 m/ I7 A
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death0 N9 d# ^! @' I9 s% D4 Z; h
beckon our lasting attention
# x# U E) }+ R% u4 Z We will gently leave this life ) X1 N$ U% I4 y3 v
With the knowledge that
9 b- i) u- l7 a, J3 m1 B because of that one pebble : T1 J' }/ ^ m4 ~# M
The world will never be the same.% C) _$ o7 W) U8 Y
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And then we have heaven …! X4 n+ z) P6 e/ K" h4 q: `; V k
% T; Q' o+ b6 j' e3 k9 n- s Ross Rosenberg0 q; `5 J: c- i0 n+ \- S% ~2 _: L
8/18/03 |
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