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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. $ a/ s+ J0 D/ X+ P! u! T3 p: t7 ~8 F
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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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# T4 O, t& Q: l Heaven
, n3 |. K, g$ Q% m The pebble is worn smooth ( S) Y/ }4 |. v l. W
Made small over time
$ A. s+ s0 l# x$ @ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature9 A7 A' Y @4 l7 n% z
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock# M" ~' Q4 e$ @0 z- B
An accidental offspring of a boulder : Z& c" F( a; D# P
But just a very small stone. ; G! l1 u2 n9 h) V' ~5 s
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The pebble's place in our world
- ]2 E* Z$ r }2 H Is neither understood nor appreciated0 \- F1 N1 U( d0 ], R: v7 `
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 6 X$ i y4 Z) u3 O0 X6 Y D% B: g2 c
Its insignificance is transformed7 g- Y7 y; D% O1 l4 C
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed., @7 y2 R: d0 i
' ]* j1 D3 I H H7 U- p The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# D! p" a1 @* i- ]# s0 q Its signature of concentric ripples
9 [$ ^' l1 q( m Spiral outwards
- S/ ~3 c6 E7 h Moving far beyond itself." B' j1 \8 i' Y6 o' ?* b; |
Gently affecting everything in its wake
( p& t- ]: ?6 X& B4 v; P8 I( m. R4 g Forever altering the smooth placid surface.. r$ m S2 S4 |* U/ l; s: Q; g# i* b' [
4 y7 _# h6 q2 e6 R The pebble creates its worth and meaning . J: G5 t9 G& v8 y
By unleashing its unimagined power?
( g U, X1 K$ T Into a dueling force of action and reaction( M, O ], ~6 l% b/ x
Creating karmic energy
1 S1 @( a9 E+ `. `3 O, r5 K- D Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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, P) H& { v( R0 i' V Aren't we all pebbles?1 F; y0 c3 [/ W1 h# e4 S! h9 X; w% A
Feeling small and insignificant3 S3 ~6 [' X" G& I: Q7 G
But ultimately recognizing
; d& ^2 Z$ \8 C That who we are meant to be7 ~* S3 j7 H- `3 p
Can never be measured in isolation
" C( a G* Y) C9 \, U/ P on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:& ^+ V, ~+ X) {
Our everlasting future 6 [0 x) b' B; a0 v7 L' [9 V9 i
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles0 p) c; w- @& [9 d9 q' }$ s7 m
Into the pond of life
- t/ N2 o; z. E" h( N Creating ripples ) G% y* ]2 k" K6 L$ ?
that leave unique mark on our world 1 Z5 i6 Y. s7 J' }' G& L
Not because of thoughts 3 ]8 H/ p% ^+ _ }
not because of well meaning plans7 L, y" K" e" ~8 F; v
But because of actions. 7 I V- m0 y/ ~. z# H: c
( q( f' d9 h& k) g5 |9 D& e Our life's prayers our answered
5 N: E6 n) l$ z5 Q( n! `0 a$ ~3 ? Because even the smallest pebble
, t2 A- Q. ^ s. |- n" ^# p No matter how seemingly insignificant' M8 o8 p. X- R$ w ?% h0 c
Changes the course of the lives1 z/ D( x' N3 i
Of those we touch.? * [. O9 }& i$ c6 b1 ?! K! j
% j1 k9 B0 p. ^! h$ h6 I5 E5 c& T$ } And when the icy winds of death
' f/ W9 p* D1 z8 j, R: F beckon our lasting attention4 G8 g+ D3 l% v/ v
We will gently leave this life , ?' R5 d+ ~* ?* s! D
With the knowledge that
) k/ m" f: f `+ q( l- t because of that one pebble 4 k* {. J9 O* e- M- l6 H3 o" g+ A
The world will never be the same., t% p. u9 V. m0 D
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And then we have heaven …2 B4 S _; b+ ^
2 Z: S+ C/ l# M" e2 X
Ross Rosenberg4 N; ]8 T E9 x9 E1 r
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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