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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. ; ^$ g" t# ]1 P0 G; J
& p1 Y& R3 v* d 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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/ t1 W6 w- U/ l& M, I: m Heaven
( h! \( }" H& ~ The pebble is worn smooth
4 u- Y( {7 a S Made small over time9 i, b6 c5 X9 F, o+ E+ B* v
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature3 z, I1 F9 {: ?, b
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock2 P5 d g4 Z7 N3 t1 P2 g6 V
An accidental offspring of a boulder
3 b. U; F* j4 ?& }& O But just a very small stone.
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* _7 S2 C! f: [; S8 z The pebble's place in our world 7 p% j7 B2 a: O5 N, K
Is neither understood nor appreciated& |+ d/ _2 t& f. B/ {
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
6 \9 ]$ T" L3 R5 M Its insignificance is transformed2 m5 G$ d9 B w
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.; S8 t; I/ d7 Z( Z
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
$ I8 v; f x9 ?( {2 G Its signature of concentric ripples
, z1 G2 R% m7 W* t Spiral outwards & s b, L8 t5 t# ~ C
Moving far beyond itself./ {' {# e- [* N% P1 x( v
Gently affecting everything in its wake. r1 n( N6 x- n, g, t3 j
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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. `: u* S/ t& }+ v ]& P( _; D The pebble creates its worth and meaning
8 O3 P( ?# K& L o By unleashing its unimagined power? 9 j3 ?# K0 U- y4 _- Z o' W
Into a dueling force of action and reaction' h; a0 [4 ?: W
Creating karmic energy6 S5 d) @& o, O% F0 M$ E; ?
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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" b% {7 t6 ]2 ~9 B# m1 f Aren't we all pebbles?8 o1 f2 A" H0 u% v; F8 y8 a
Feeling small and insignificant
6 H5 [9 f6 Y4 n) f C But ultimately recognizing
8 G T3 |5 a: s9 x That who we are meant to be/ m; F- ?. F# m/ k
Can never be measured in isolation
" i2 q Y! w0 W on a path into ourselves.
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( }& c" v( v' y It is true then:
$ M& O/ n' m8 P* R Our everlasting future
2 w S) r; {; N$ \* y Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles& d' t" B9 q' G; l, h5 r
Into the pond of life5 w% [2 Q* [ b7 e# @6 |* t, A
Creating ripples 3 e: }& C, Q `* l ~! p9 I) `( o
that leave unique mark on our world 4 u! {' X0 R, t7 s- U
Not because of thoughts
- z% t7 U9 r! Z) @% E$ Z not because of well meaning plans( t! {; D9 g7 |+ C, D$ G9 c
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
/ }2 g/ A3 p S: B9 A: N4 \4 B Because even the smallest pebble
; }. R! t# y8 ~$ T x No matter how seemingly insignificant
9 G% y2 P- g+ e; E# D8 J( c Changes the course of the lives
6 }6 x9 p) O; L" D3 R( Q Of those we touch.?
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4 U+ A0 ^" Y& q- B( I# i And when the icy winds of death
- w. p0 v! h) {) V- Z2 J beckon our lasting attention
& T$ j9 p: }/ {0 B We will gently leave this life
& y/ Q C5 Y+ E With the knowledge that 7 H/ ~# N# T5 I( _$ A! n
because of that one pebble
$ `% H& j5 w2 z The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …4 A$ T3 A& t" }+ C# Q9 e4 [6 N
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Ross Rosenberg. K% b: O/ @$ U; s
8/18/03 |
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