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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. 1 |* J2 T6 B; s% d
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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.
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/ {" {2 K2 E7 L; t Heaven
. K' H) p, }) v1 d The pebble is worn smooth 2 K6 \+ K3 Z; P* U r" A
Made small over time# }7 C* V v$ s- @5 Q4 T
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature" o, X8 V% D; x8 h2 L$ z5 [
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
+ y* | B# [/ P- x3 H An accidental offspring of a boulder . p+ Q, d0 ^7 A. } \* V
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
: q5 S: S; }+ h* g/ F3 n Is neither understood nor appreciated
2 r) F+ w7 K5 N3 j But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
! v, X% P. Y% O" x1 y1 j8 k Its insignificance is transformed4 L1 _4 ^; G( R
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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( {2 W4 N6 `. w6 q/ }. X The instant the pebble kisses the pond
" r5 s" ~/ J' C Its signature of concentric ripples ' G: `' v: ?: r0 K# d
Spiral outwards
, C e6 q( t+ R) d" |. d! Z Moving far beyond itself.9 O& r! u$ S; ?3 N5 S
Gently affecting everything in its wake( y$ x+ D2 @( c7 w8 H1 R
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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% I$ }8 X( P2 d4 ^, J2 b The pebble creates its worth and meaning
, o/ W F2 }- h0 S G By unleashing its unimagined power?
+ L- f+ E0 m* e5 A7 s- ~) F3 _ Into a dueling force of action and reaction8 i! v' }( s# i6 ?4 b
Creating karmic energy
9 K" B) R& E. V Producing lasting and fluid impressions.9 N! B& {; a5 D. n
% S* f4 Q, r# ]; U6 f Aren't we all pebbles?7 v2 J' m7 V2 Z' A( b
Feeling small and insignificant
6 A; E0 R8 u" N% \ But ultimately recognizing , }1 M% S% Q4 U
That who we are meant to be7 |& h4 C' m \/ n. d# c' x$ L! p/ |6 A; x
Can never be measured in isolation
1 ]( S, f; M& _4 h9 `6 D on a path into ourselves., j/ ?) n! j- ~! `( t0 O, l, }
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It is true then:9 O/ g5 n1 \, c2 z5 ]/ `# n5 l
Our everlasting future
( f# D1 F5 p3 |* k9 Q+ X) | ` Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles& v9 W0 j. J5 v5 D8 E! Y, C0 X
Into the pond of life
. e) r% E0 s4 i- q; |1 Q; i& ] Creating ripples 9 r5 r: I0 }! [* a) w5 X
that leave unique mark on our world
9 t! p |( V. Z) W7 n5 U Not because of thoughts
& a* ?# y0 {) ^- B- [ not because of well meaning plans7 @7 D) O7 q' y1 i; r* M
But because of actions. 7 c% [9 g( l! x) F, z+ n2 `
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Our life's prayers our answered+ U: U9 e0 ` H$ E0 |* t5 q
Because even the smallest pebble
+ c+ v. ]% V0 T8 y3 D3 s No matter how seemingly insignificant) B3 A# T, x2 \) [5 ~( F* z
Changes the course of the lives
\7 p3 a- @* z) e; g8 L& p6 ] Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death% O% A1 h2 [1 g
beckon our lasting attention0 A! [$ j5 A( q* G/ t& P/ _
We will gently leave this life 5 c9 p" x5 G }% T6 c6 |
With the knowledge that 2 b4 i: s8 ~3 f. E' R
because of that one pebble . G, T6 h' e- Z3 ^2 }+ A$ @1 c! K
The world will never be the same., |+ V9 R# @3 f B6 o
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And then we have heaven …3 j# Z: f% \7 Z' |; \ g7 i
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Ross Rosenberg u% T9 e0 _- J- r4 l: V8 T
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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