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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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! |' d5 t3 C4 u+ X* ]) c/ T1 y2 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.
# f+ k. @, v0 j& d! |9 E, S" s/ N' z
# ~4 i' ~ G$ t. u, t/ @ Heaven u. v+ i" S% H8 _% ^
The pebble is worn smooth
' N E/ X9 ?- u6 o1 Z* \ Made small over time
) [* { m2 ]3 J; Q: X$ i A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
6 N- ~: k5 J% l A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
; \$ V. B- j) s6 D) x An accidental offspring of a boulder ; a; c+ \4 E6 n5 |, q* b" z2 Q% A
But just a very small stone. 7 U3 _% x' P% T9 E4 v
* C3 h! A$ E# Z2 v( p The pebble's place in our world 8 E5 Q. R2 `$ a& j7 l3 p
Is neither understood nor appreciated: a5 F' B8 W2 t. [; @% T
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' w8 R+ N- P5 \% c Its insignificance is transformed
9 \. q7 C& K A4 {0 @! f3 o; r Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
5 r# H' m9 Z c& W3 [ 9 C# t+ J$ t. G9 G3 t
The instant the pebble kisses the pond# s$ w; s0 X. J. A% e2 S2 s% u$ }
Its signature of concentric ripples ; H. m( f6 }: ^) r
Spiral outwards ' m# |! v/ O( z8 J
Moving far beyond itself.
2 [$ G/ ~" {; a2 Z3 V; l; [ Gently affecting everything in its wake; h! x5 M5 }8 n, U) A2 _
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.' |5 `' \% r" X2 s5 N- x( t4 B, w
0 q$ u( \1 |7 M5 c The pebble creates its worth and meaning ' y" k3 l. w( z3 ]7 M U, b
By unleashing its unimagined power?
0 P( A( L8 A* U$ C Into a dueling force of action and reaction* |- c0 S& j4 C$ r J8 l: S2 \
Creating karmic energy
. V+ J/ [- u: V8 P& H Producing lasting and fluid impressions.$ O$ S5 ~( r5 Y
; W7 K' X, |$ X& N
Aren't we all pebbles?3 t- O2 R6 b1 T9 E; L' |
Feeling small and insignificant
; s; X6 y9 D& K But ultimately recognizing
- g# [; _8 ]$ ` That who we are meant to be& z& K4 M2 _1 W1 r2 |. F4 `
Can never be measured in isolation
: S) W W# Y- u8 V on a path into ourselves.
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1 m8 y$ B3 d* V/ P% E0 J; E( h. a+ C7 w( F It is true then:
. g* F. W- j0 A Our everlasting future ' U% K" e1 _4 G3 ^, z
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
% J+ A) K U# a( c1 O, k Into the pond of life+ a2 \0 p$ d& x# h p( T
Creating ripples
, k* `" v1 @. Y6 P that leave unique mark on our world
, K5 E7 @, X( t, ^1 m Not because of thoughts
2 N, q f/ b* R, S not because of well meaning plans: r" ^2 J9 M; k8 X
But because of actions.
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9 K$ D3 n2 }. X Our life's prayers our answered
" v3 U# I" J/ w. B. c E Because even the smallest pebble 1 n# f5 n- ?' v
No matter how seemingly insignificant* P$ g6 \$ Z) `, y/ V
Changes the course of the lives3 s: n: g; v6 {) _6 f& F
Of those we touch.? }. u# S( `, x# n r
1 ?- e2 c) ]% ^. p3 x# n$ p And when the icy winds of death9 O7 l! [/ @' U5 L
beckon our lasting attention0 l V& y2 S( H+ y* L6 e& V
We will gently leave this life
% S9 I4 G% u+ H/ _2 z6 P With the knowledge that
" H. X7 F8 s( r7 |8 Q' I because of that one pebble
! I/ T2 d. [7 [$ k7 N The world will never be the same.
( S B4 G% m. J8 u$ G
/ K, x$ m" Q8 S And then we have heaven …- {7 v/ R, [) B( |6 j
, L2 o. U& F0 g6 M& j; ^ Ross Rosenberg
' x: G7 n4 O1 A5 _: O 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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