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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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5 D# ~- e( w$ C. h; p 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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Heaven
" d& N5 I3 ?$ h, c; {+ ~ The pebble is worn smooth ' c, t4 r% t, G: r# _
Made small over time
- m6 p8 P9 t1 `, c5 |/ j A product of a cataclysmic force of nature- M5 T1 s& e2 Z, f4 r0 t% P
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
L0 M, g9 e/ S* J$ |& r: c* N6 O Q* H An accidental offspring of a boulder I2 A. D! {8 k0 y- M
But just a very small stone. & G+ e5 g5 _0 y7 t' f' a9 s
. k! H- w: F) e3 A/ Q. f The pebble's place in our world
' t# ^, J! p3 q$ a4 h2 i Is neither understood nor appreciated0 }. @5 [$ c5 S4 H% `9 ^: B: s
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
% a9 W1 `6 X$ f/ y2 @ Its insignificance is transformed
0 v/ l" @8 m7 Q4 c( X j Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.; Y& h+ |0 c5 U* r% F
0 m& j; S# I' { The instant the pebble kisses the pond8 s3 Z" P/ p* U7 _
Its signature of concentric ripples ; B& ^3 H% n2 c
Spiral outwards
# L& t8 i3 l; L. o: `) A6 h Moving far beyond itself.9 @ F$ u. Z5 T: _/ n1 @' x
Gently affecting everything in its wake
! A7 B9 p; Z8 h Forever altering the smooth placid surface.% U8 E: B8 C) x) b" ]: Z
2 ~0 I t4 p% R U! X2 q The pebble creates its worth and meaning / v: Y) G- g6 D$ T# Q/ p( V, W
By unleashing its unimagined power? ) H1 Z( ?/ m5 |( W( R7 ?; n
Into a dueling force of action and reaction( @& T% `+ u F- p
Creating karmic energy
# O. ~! M: I( O. U, w Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?$ O+ c$ n& F$ s9 U
Feeling small and insignificant% P0 K$ c* ^9 j+ P
But ultimately recognizing 1 C. B0 ?% I3 q. F7 t
That who we are meant to be
1 S: r! X, x9 e6 B! @) N4 y Can never be measured in isolation$ z: c: K9 t+ }0 ]
on a path into ourselves.! b7 _0 T: A' U0 h* M
$ r, Z' z" m% B1 Z$ w: b It is true then:/ S M4 Z5 f( n B# ?; l
Our everlasting future
3 g! s* [ D1 V. G: M Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles' ~; \- ^, v) d9 V( C- G0 i
Into the pond of life
, p3 q/ k' Y$ q6 k' a4 r. M Creating ripples
9 r& J) [/ N$ \; V. v that leave unique mark on our world
0 R) z6 m* u8 d Not because of thoughts " O( ~! G: Z& L! p
not because of well meaning plans
5 H0 ?* ?( c. ~# w; p But because of actions. ) T+ w/ {% Y& k9 K0 c* V; I& Q+ N$ N
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Our life's prayers our answered
+ Y% e, o! {: p- F* S Because even the smallest pebble
8 i5 f5 ?) \* M- u- _' n2 s No matter how seemingly insignificant
- x; c9 U7 U x Changes the course of the lives) ^ p; ~) v% ?: a& ^& r9 e- E( ^9 R
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
( X8 t" F# n, M" a, X1 H! u beckon our lasting attention
& ~ f4 R: s. [ We will gently leave this life 5 Q7 e6 _) L9 d' Z3 d9 m
With the knowledge that ) J1 k3 p t) t7 F1 g: x
because of that one pebble 7 n r' e6 g$ y6 b0 c0 |
The world will never be the same.! Q) l, T# S7 p& g+ [) d
: p# {6 v* s6 f+ Z4 P3 ` And then we have heaven …/ K7 j6 E2 D. A
9 l0 @) }$ W q3 Y) F9 _" Z
Ross Rosenberg
# _4 z4 [' e; e5 k! L( e+ O2 e 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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