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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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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.$ u6 w. g/ Z3 L# d4 {: G$ V- W3 r
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Heaven
* \+ O6 {2 l+ O( _. O1 x The pebble is worn smooth & [3 x# D2 K+ N1 Q o2 ^/ f4 o
Made small over time, c% i6 ?0 `: w
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
/ F. }, O- Y3 ?- u8 |* A+ d A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock0 |$ w) q+ d! ]: _
An accidental offspring of a boulder % h5 R* d9 E8 s# _, n O! M h
But just a very small stone. 0 w1 H. F* y/ }7 B z9 \- d G
. j- o+ m d9 ^' [5 s The pebble's place in our world 7 Q3 o. y- k# w* L/ q: U" E& `
Is neither understood nor appreciated
' h2 m K0 [3 p0 A But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
. a1 o4 p8 }: g; J5 w Its insignificance is transformed
, K. K+ `9 }* D" y8 }* Z3 k Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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0 P- Y$ {( [ d( I& Q% ?, T The instant the pebble kisses the pond
/ ~9 V$ Y s! O# I, b" j Its signature of concentric ripples
8 r' Z- ]. K* I$ _$ G8 Z5 h Spiral outwards
$ E' ?2 k( O) t5 V' T- U/ z2 a" {) [; S Moving far beyond itself.
, N. P- v* [1 k; J" Z- E# p2 W Gently affecting everything in its wake
/ y& H& ?% S5 P% C Forever altering the smooth placid surface.2 S R- ?+ ]* o+ a2 L: g
2 K2 F: n4 j8 Q% D: V1 L The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) t# n( L& w( b. B; {$ M By unleashing its unimagined power?
- r3 J, _1 c' _2 ] Into a dueling force of action and reaction( P8 Z3 Y( f. \+ s( s$ Q7 D
Creating karmic energy
1 i1 o, @6 u1 s1 H, W Producing lasting and fluid impressions.$ ] }0 p, @+ x# H- c( x
4 R; d1 o5 o+ K! w Aren't we all pebbles?
1 g5 `8 ]& H# D: Q, m' t- I Feeling small and insignificant* {- @) y8 ?& P; c
But ultimately recognizing 9 a$ S9 e% h$ _ ~. Y g1 |; ]6 h, i
That who we are meant to be9 f( |. f+ X- y
Can never be measured in isolation% I4 h, b/ @! |7 b9 T4 N6 {
on a path into ourselves.
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( M X6 F- u( t1 O- B& O It is true then:
$ _, o0 ` u. r- F Our everlasting future 8 P4 y2 z/ O. u, }6 M; ]; C
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' k1 R6 B" v! K1 B$ x/ ^- u5 n Into the pond of life
) v7 s( Y3 S3 |2 L Creating ripples 1 n9 S, y- v( |+ J7 p! S
that leave unique mark on our world 7 P8 Y% ^/ Q3 a8 T( h. i5 X |
Not because of thoughts + Y( X; X4 ~ [# N# i
not because of well meaning plans3 g/ h4 \9 g( L
But because of actions. # e$ @) F9 n! i P u+ N
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Our life's prayers our answered! `/ b: S/ R9 o: E- X
Because even the smallest pebble 2 g5 Y) q* u% G2 V( y, ^: D, `0 X+ T
No matter how seemingly insignificant8 C( e1 E8 j* P) f; h1 ^; Y
Changes the course of the lives: l" ^. |/ d! J+ T
Of those we touch.? ! m4 j+ z& J" d
3 @0 A* }( M; Z% t! Y And when the icy winds of death* }: T8 B: p8 n; L0 a+ e: P
beckon our lasting attention
) f" D, h0 o+ Y1 n& A. O9 g4 @ We will gently leave this life
% i3 V- d1 F7 t( q8 u With the knowledge that
' x7 k! a8 e# i: t. K* c because of that one pebble
$ u/ |3 ^# P; j The world will never be the same. T' A5 h7 C$ z% a
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And then we have heaven …
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5 H- a/ Q' s1 P$ B: p1 w Ross Rosenberg; R* K( e0 y1 W; i& m+ y3 M
8/18/03 |
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