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Heaven

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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36 | 显示全部楼层 |阅读模式
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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.# R$ \8 p+ w5 L- H

8 ~  c4 J; r) L4 M3 X8 d% j0 p4 E- h Heaven
0 f6 o2 r) ?2 Q7 y' H The pebble is worn smooth
3 n- h! w# S. i* U+ g5 i. u! B Made small over time
& w) \5 l! O' ~2 W& p7 e9 m0 B A product of a cataclysmic force of nature+ j% k6 J2 \; u
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock7 `& ]9 N3 ]7 O
An accidental offspring of a boulder , d( ^  M4 ]4 _7 x, x
But just a very small stone. - i. S( t0 c% ~4 p) w5 T* D$ `
' z2 V# V5 _6 T! ?0 w5 O5 l
The pebble's place in our world
0 s, z* m4 v  k+ u9 z9 P, g- G Is neither understood nor appreciated3 T5 ^$ ?2 i; N- t& m' Q" Z2 S
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 0 c7 |. T' w3 P1 {( f
Its insignificance is transformed) Y0 e+ w, q( Z
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.8 V$ n! _, y7 n) @1 G8 {, O

. S+ c- t/ t" j7 }( b The instant the pebble kisses the pond
+ C- G& t3 |0 c+ H Its signature of concentric ripples " v& i$ f( L" a3 d1 \2 w' r5 B7 A
Spiral outwards - ~! G; o: g9 c/ @, P3 y7 f' l
Moving far beyond itself.
+ [1 y- D. \0 o& \  ^4 N) ] Gently affecting everything in its wake
% h8 _$ N: z/ U4 X Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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9 L/ F9 \& R. U" E! h( x3 \5 L The pebble creates its worth and meaning ( @) w, b$ e, ~! n: U0 b' w
By unleashing its unimagined power?   n  e) |7 Q9 C) k5 V6 K* M9 ^5 V
Into a dueling force of action and reaction# z( X: `6 I3 `' m& k$ i
Creating karmic energy; L# \0 j1 q5 L/ h# w  Z0 ^
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
2 Z6 \# F) F+ V/ q% l6 w   w. i& X  m- L6 H4 V, ]
Aren't we all pebbles?, w& ]( k. D, }6 J4 ^4 e2 b: v0 M
Feeling small and insignificant0 O3 Z; A& D, ?3 j
But ultimately recognizing & Q8 Q8 k, Q8 r; c, \. u
That who we are meant to be* Q) q2 H% D% C- d  [( {
Can never be measured in isolation4 Q- |) K0 b' g4 E/ _! ?" L
on a path into ourselves.
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; n1 y' \5 P6 G' D It is true then:
: @: D& c1 W: |% l Our everlasting future - ?* ]  K( [; S! }9 H
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' S4 L3 j* E% ]! h0 J( g4 @/ v+ H Into the pond of life( J" B, a/ G7 M2 ]
Creating ripples ! n+ h; f) ?. @1 D) B5 _8 q
that leave unique mark on our world
0 R3 h& I+ Q( r9 n Not because of thoughts
9 B) Q/ d0 k! I7 b0 m; W: r not because of well meaning plans
$ K5 ]6 H) g  O' [' R& q But because of actions. ' h0 E% E: ~# o& E
" I. n; q5 O1 u% i
Our life's prayers our answered0 V0 `9 [  ~+ q" W5 A
Because even the smallest pebble
8 ]4 ^6 r% K& T" e6 F: E+ ~ No matter how seemingly insignificant6 Z$ q! ^( E6 f& v
Changes the course of the lives5 B2 l/ n& @  r* j0 }) Z3 R
Of those we touch.?
0 n! e1 K, s! e( E3 ]. G) @9 q; k 4 n0 u2 P+ M, e
And when the icy winds of death0 D% y7 j( s$ b3 ^
beckon our lasting attention
- t/ {' A2 F1 r% h/ ^4 |, t6 B; F We will gently leave this life ; d. x) v4 ^  o4 X1 a. u
With the knowledge that
! ?) R/ g3 Q# O( I6 _+ U; j4 [ because of that one pebble 2 Z3 a4 @* B$ _- a+ R! h
The world will never be the same.0 r+ F3 C) h* k" l; v

% q& B1 W) a* f5 r& ~ And then we have heaven …
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- J7 V, C) I2 Z: X3 r: ]" R1 d Ross Rosenberg
, ~/ G3 M9 d' B' n) z+ [4 _- _9 j' l 8/18/03
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