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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. + f, y) D7 o8 @# ]5 }9 \
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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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: A1 \- o% Z, K" f" g2 o2 d7 C Heaven
9 e# s+ i0 u) P- T The pebble is worn smooth - X: G4 R$ A2 }; r9 t
Made small over time8 f% g" ]5 d. `6 B: u
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature3 P# ]7 e! q+ j9 a
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
1 I% d" u& s, { An accidental offspring of a boulder
2 s( \, ?: @. w But just a very small stone. 4 \$ `2 Q$ J2 _, d3 [
: I3 P% `" j( G/ E6 c The pebble's place in our world 8 S# J$ ~$ @1 b: a* k
Is neither understood nor appreciated
5 \. l9 P$ [* w' k8 D9 s But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
8 h: T1 u; k0 z# b8 L# E @ Its insignificance is transformed
# i- n2 h* ^7 L7 O) K8 A Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.1 O8 V. n' _+ s t7 R
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond" o3 k# \: V; @: v) C5 j# f
Its signature of concentric ripples
3 I, {' m5 y# V5 J4 B/ ?6 W Spiral outwards 4 l1 Y. R. w( @5 G- D0 M( c0 w) ?
Moving far beyond itself.2 O& s) V ~; b1 M3 z' ]
Gently affecting everything in its wake" g e6 T+ g {1 |8 b
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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0 [9 H0 o7 ]# l. F( j: s The pebble creates its worth and meaning * J+ A* G+ r6 W0 F. k8 n
By unleashing its unimagined power?
; P f6 h, t8 g8 A% d" c( Z; J" \ Into a dueling force of action and reaction
3 H* s1 d4 Y* V- U/ _! c Creating karmic energy. A7 M" V4 V4 O: f L4 D1 R5 ^
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.* h$ c7 [8 w y: ]( e$ G! c; V6 M
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Aren't we all pebbles?. V9 I9 \2 w+ P) G1 P" k2 e
Feeling small and insignificant
0 _4 n4 M; i0 S6 P2 _% N% F But ultimately recognizing
3 x3 w2 H7 i1 e. j4 I- B That who we are meant to be
% p$ r B5 i( Q. ^) A F+ b Can never be measured in isolation
) ` T% V8 U# h8 { on a path into ourselves.; i$ a @! G; X/ G, L" Y, R; `# i8 j
, q* {/ J, e; ^0 a+ Q ^ It is true then:% P# r6 Y, t$ ?$ S
Our everlasting future & @* p0 J; w6 y( a V7 t& Y
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles: @: G1 J) W, k5 i& V' K+ a
Into the pond of life' _1 |# M9 c0 w0 ~. i2 ^ W
Creating ripples
( R8 V& G# ^6 E1 y- V that leave unique mark on our world
8 }+ s* q) \# y& \* F Not because of thoughts - _3 e2 y2 A$ ` x) j* y
not because of well meaning plans
, T0 ]/ g4 e1 P% P& e But because of actions. , ?: K9 B) `. T1 |5 C: u
& N3 N S0 W+ z( Z! I8 R Our life's prayers our answered+ S8 T8 |4 N5 X5 m! r; n8 \
Because even the smallest pebble ' ~( Z$ F" G5 a1 y! W
No matter how seemingly insignificant; r2 W6 q$ k$ E7 k- O2 l2 Z
Changes the course of the lives
% v9 y2 y2 j$ |) I Of those we touch.?
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/ j& i; q1 C( h+ J And when the icy winds of death
3 m' C0 P$ K6 R( X beckon our lasting attention, ~" v$ T |. L* W6 y4 X
We will gently leave this life 1 w' [6 e- k' T$ g& _' N; R( n
With the knowledge that ! R0 t2 z$ B _% h6 }7 @
because of that one pebble
9 f9 T" i4 y6 C The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …: ~: D$ p7 L: Y0 a {
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Ross Rosenberg
; _6 J- R7 Z) y/ d# d6 H$ l; i 8/18/03 |
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