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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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. C0 L3 M7 ], {9 o$ Z$ D+ 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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+ C3 \! G* Q% c" H: L5 m9 S Heaven- u7 Z/ n/ v5 d4 r& Y/ a
The pebble is worn smooth
) A, x! `1 w, @3 Q& e9 Y6 |5 J3 e Made small over time
4 W4 ]7 G- g# h: ~+ ~8 { A product of a cataclysmic force of nature2 A2 y( A8 f9 H
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
+ ~. ~. U3 F) v: e3 f- m An accidental offspring of a boulder
. _( w6 P& g2 M' n But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world ' b" o3 P$ j2 P X* X4 Y
Is neither understood nor appreciated7 i6 A4 |/ P D8 m5 {
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
% o( D, F( K- }/ Z1 s Its insignificance is transformed7 D: j- ^9 T v6 o8 ]2 T
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.# r! W% n! @4 A0 \& U
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond! a: J9 g" \! T% y7 p
Its signature of concentric ripples
. c8 m7 ]7 G# c7 u Spiral outwards , J; {8 R* R4 r. R7 T& I5 x I4 p
Moving far beyond itself.
- r9 b& J( s3 S- ~$ E1 o Gently affecting everything in its wake
6 K# K3 N4 V" H3 p3 ?. q Forever altering the smooth placid surface.% V T' s/ k) E! W
+ c) ^3 s$ y* i
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
( H! K* F" C9 d2 O6 r. u6 N By unleashing its unimagined power? ' I; M1 d, W9 ]& Y' t4 `. g+ _
Into a dueling force of action and reaction- N5 O7 y( M# V
Creating karmic energy+ ]* E& b1 ?( S" I) ^9 O
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.0 e$ }( }0 Q7 j6 f
, n% R- g/ Z% @ Aren't we all pebbles?
$ k C/ M6 u+ _ Feeling small and insignificant: B* V8 A- e: ~; [+ X Z
But ultimately recognizing 7 w# p9 h4 i( M
That who we are meant to be7 J8 W {7 \! I5 u
Can never be measured in isolation
0 {$ X6 A* X6 s( ~& C. Q on a path into ourselves.8 i' q" u# j" F* Y- b1 C- n
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It is true then:3 i! v0 o7 V3 X& Y! a1 B
Our everlasting future , k( y. @* F h) ?, S
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles6 `" L# S3 R' w
Into the pond of life
" Y7 _% [2 m6 N& V0 q Creating ripples
6 E, r! {- [7 I( ]7 y8 ^ that leave unique mark on our world / u& t* A. ^% T2 B1 r) D8 T. J! `
Not because of thoughts
$ y& q. r$ F2 h6 }* G: } not because of well meaning plans
5 N# b& C9 b3 K; P# }% f9 B But because of actions. # b1 h9 g5 }- J
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Our life's prayers our answered
+ j, Y q; T8 V& \/ I/ `3 [' i Because even the smallest pebble
, m7 B. G! X4 V% s% @5 |1 B No matter how seemingly insignificant
4 [& ?- A$ _: n0 e% Z Changes the course of the lives$ U2 x3 S( r, c
Of those we touch.? & V. k9 h |6 b
3 N. O; e: e$ Z: l) q And when the icy winds of death4 c' l% d& y4 u) B9 Q) }. U# {
beckon our lasting attention
: W D2 Y) L6 p9 I z7 U# k, k We will gently leave this life
& w9 m$ ?$ F% ~3 H7 \6 p With the knowledge that * [( c/ |) }0 }8 I: l7 h; C" t
because of that one pebble
) _: _; W' K$ y7 c7 U, I/ U The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
4 U, y9 v2 S: K; `* n% j 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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