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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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; u, q# J7 F. Y# s' E; g 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.5 X9 G% e& q$ j: R+ u* A* B# x
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Heaven! N e( _! F X! P; L
The pebble is worn smooth
9 G) S3 r+ m0 A4 z) B- `2 v Made small over time
, L9 c, I! d4 I3 H6 C$ u5 \ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
! T, @/ a) v1 ]3 T! q( x% {! p9 p/ Y A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock6 T, t( M8 X2 c. O
An accidental offspring of a boulder
8 C3 ]. o- y. p" |" `/ r; D( ? But just a very small stone. ' _% A4 A4 S3 g$ |
* E2 q3 N6 m6 c& b7 c+ G8 ^- m The pebble's place in our world
- H" k, u3 h3 s# a/ s; ] Is neither understood nor appreciated5 H5 I& z% n( q9 l6 Q8 F8 g
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
& y: Z" ~! c' X' | g Its insignificance is transformed+ n- p3 @( g% W5 r
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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/ n K# q( w$ r p The instant the pebble kisses the pond
: o4 s5 w' l& N$ I/ c% _& E' U Its signature of concentric ripples
5 g& D8 J1 }4 Z2 P4 } Spiral outwards 6 @' n5 q' s3 d( ^/ @; a
Moving far beyond itself.
6 N4 M1 f- T- D4 v6 j Gently affecting everything in its wake
+ X1 @& D- A" P6 _5 B, o' x/ i8 k Forever altering the smooth placid surface.# H% A+ V3 |- |5 N* ]6 q
, @! L7 @9 ]+ ?6 Q0 g( D' V: t The pebble creates its worth and meaning # S, k, w% T4 e$ u+ J3 o8 H) ^$ ]
By unleashing its unimagined power? |' [. F: h6 \4 o$ Y
Into a dueling force of action and reaction) `9 Y+ e; M, y3 E5 a3 f
Creating karmic energy9 F+ O7 k; X: K! {( {6 l& ^+ b
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.6 e1 e" Q. ^1 Y# _
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Aren't we all pebbles?( b' y' F7 D& V# Z/ \: u) u; Z
Feeling small and insignificant
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That who we are meant to be1 o* s$ J. \; ~" u6 k
Can never be measured in isolation! U$ X" p5 g% Q2 Q) p* f8 v
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
& m7 }) ]1 i/ b1 _( w/ R- c I Our everlasting future ' A9 l, X' m! g5 ~( x1 u3 U
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
6 B; i6 O" r% Y$ j0 E. X, E Into the pond of life; n( V2 a J; |8 L/ K
Creating ripples + q6 C" g! M* D7 A8 Z" V8 z; Z
that leave unique mark on our world 0 \+ p9 ]3 {) b; Y G0 B7 V
Not because of thoughts & m5 \6 F( ^% Z! [+ b0 F3 _) T) T
not because of well meaning plans
2 r& ^# z! ?+ A& o3 F: ` But because of actions. * [# ]+ n7 ^1 T: I* L
5 @9 c7 }3 o& U' n7 P' B Our life's prayers our answered7 M$ m2 G7 }0 t7 O
Because even the smallest pebble
" Z1 {# Y7 j# j' j5 X; t1 T! a' u No matter how seemingly insignificant
4 E% V" x2 [8 J+ p Changes the course of the lives4 e, \$ }# K! x
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
# g$ l" E7 {' }% | beckon our lasting attention
. Q) v5 H; W0 ~# m8 G5 L2 `9 ^ We will gently leave this life
' k5 C5 n. n+ C" f) D5 i8 M" [ With the knowledge that 1 x. z! V/ Z, O6 y
because of that one pebble - U& a* g: G5 s+ k1 q
The world will never be the same.2 l5 W! G- K7 t: n) M* ^
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And then we have heaven …
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( o! ~. i) ]1 H ` Ross Rosenberg
6 k. }& h e- b; b( |9 L; `3 X 8/18/03 |
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