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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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z( I, W; R1 r 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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Heaven4 j" B- @4 n; P
The pebble is worn smooth # Q1 g/ m2 L4 l3 ?9 m# t* @& n
Made small over time( B0 _4 {# v4 D$ }! }/ s
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature# J- g- E ?2 e8 Z _5 J$ {9 e& H
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
5 |. e9 d' I3 A$ a r, ` An accidental offspring of a boulder 2 Y! ?; F3 @$ f: F1 |
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world $ i- W3 L( E$ @4 f
Is neither understood nor appreciated
W1 N/ c, V2 {8 G3 E: L, P But when thrown into a glassy calm pond ; o) A0 q7 T6 F- S" Z- u2 W$ l
Its insignificance is transformed
Y* |9 l3 \# @4 k Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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; E! O4 R4 f: @' I The instant the pebble kisses the pond
0 z0 @# E1 d% A& k Its signature of concentric ripples
# ?% s. {. w+ r Spiral outwards ) |, B |- f& A, M( n
Moving far beyond itself.
; u+ P* [7 ?9 X# u. [/ l6 y Gently affecting everything in its wake
0 T( o& p, w! I6 I Forever altering the smooth placid surface.$ _+ D" x, R& {6 f! H$ P; X, @2 `
2 E0 E' g' O& P1 X; d4 |( [ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
+ l! ~0 C( G6 [9 F( e9 r By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 i: |" l w; c3 @9 d/ A% f. t Into a dueling force of action and reaction
! G- h q9 d2 }: r, T Creating karmic energy7 T$ X8 D4 c9 W
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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8 V9 V% t1 y4 Y Aren't we all pebbles?. M+ C" O6 L7 Q6 z' F
Feeling small and insignificant# @8 `' ]8 B% t% B/ c! X( ^
But ultimately recognizing
5 K7 I- s; ~( b% K That who we are meant to be0 e+ z2 i2 l3 T& q
Can never be measured in isolation. y- l D- l( x+ j/ J0 E( F0 z
on a path into ourselves.
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7 B) L8 \5 t3 x. M& ~% r It is true then:
% E7 k/ J& u! k8 b Our everlasting future 8 R6 p9 e9 @' h' o$ \
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
8 ^' G* ]4 [' v% m9 i0 | Into the pond of life& u' R. V9 \1 f o
Creating ripples
, k' h( Z9 i/ X that leave unique mark on our world
/ u2 [- c) X+ p' X/ l9 h Not because of thoughts
$ z( v# }" p) X" E4 e* \ not because of well meaning plans
' I+ V9 ]5 D: e% p2 |( P& M3 q But because of actions. 3 A8 d6 v) N2 P, Q) l$ U: ^* r/ {
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Our life's prayers our answered0 V c% Y g5 h0 _4 I
Because even the smallest pebble
" |* z2 }+ o& `, J. a! h& E- Q No matter how seemingly insignificant/ N8 X- D+ [4 D8 V% e
Changes the course of the lives( Q) d" U3 G1 v0 \8 ]9 r+ N
Of those we touch.? 1 Q% S2 }3 W8 z. S; a" Z
6 P5 G5 ?! Q. @% r# L And when the icy winds of death8 |, H5 d, R3 n" \9 Y! J% J
beckon our lasting attention0 y7 y& ]0 Q) C1 Z3 N
We will gently leave this life
( l( Y5 d, L6 N. W0 a With the knowledge that
% n+ j5 `, c5 n because of that one pebble
2 B) B8 O: B3 _- D The world will never be the same.3 h+ H$ ?0 ~" C& l, U7 c+ f
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And then we have heaven …; ~/ l, B" E. ]4 z9 Q
0 p% |2 e( P0 N2 ^& S; K$ B t Ross Rosenberg
/ } S( U. R; {( ~ 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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