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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.
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Heaven
6 m) V5 V1 P8 ]1 r) t& A" x$ R The pebble is worn smooth
1 ~# C6 H$ Y& e! d- \' j Made small over time
, |9 a( v; _8 ]+ R% q9 q% K7 ], D A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
6 q/ D7 B; M8 v' r0 P* d+ s A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
7 M' ~! h7 v3 `7 \! [5 r& y An accidental offspring of a boulder
& p# h8 G5 k' n But just a very small stone. X. ~, k9 c \
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The pebble's place in our world 0 Y r6 x0 ~1 I4 s$ ]9 W
Is neither understood nor appreciated" |" _+ O6 B& }
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 1 X( k3 W% X( M& w/ O
Its insignificance is transformed
% |' P: n& c+ x# n, Q Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.3 m" ]- Z6 f! @3 W6 Q8 u
. o/ ~% }: d* f" Y. @! i The instant the pebble kisses the pond
6 j9 Q3 v. T& y* Y6 O7 t1 ~+ E Its signature of concentric ripples
$ b# [7 h \( }0 B7 x Spiral outwards
1 b2 _ G5 S7 ?' w/ J0 K Moving far beyond itself.
# ?* v5 M& X9 W J- a Gently affecting everything in its wake
[! h; p- M. ] Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning / K: h" ?- h0 ~" ]
By unleashing its unimagined power? ' ?5 {6 d# {' f6 L3 ], d' a: t
Into a dueling force of action and reaction! Q; I2 i" s9 s5 [# h* d
Creating karmic energy; V& j3 f$ W' A: ]' k8 Q; e
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.) [5 C! H" x9 X- |2 n; P& D" b
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Aren't we all pebbles?
/ B4 h0 x" g+ P3 b+ ~9 S! x7 E Feeling small and insignificant3 k2 A( b0 W! }) d4 M* C
But ultimately recognizing
9 ]# m2 p4 l; ] y7 G) o( U That who we are meant to be
* o) ? k1 A4 z* j# u Can never be measured in isolation' |- j2 G: b" m" n4 b
on a path into ourselves.) K5 R3 A7 L f& f4 L1 z! e
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It is true then:1 K$ n9 d0 P7 [0 C3 Y- K/ @1 M
Our everlasting future $ T; w$ N, j9 ~, X# {
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles& H- c8 V6 P' }: B, J9 A$ z6 V
Into the pond of life( B: @1 ^" _2 V7 J2 @2 B
Creating ripples
$ ~7 [; ?) [* I0 S0 T( a that leave unique mark on our world
5 T# _* Y$ S4 `8 f+ C Not because of thoughts
1 h2 I0 v; y9 M+ p9 [& W0 `# a' | not because of well meaning plans
# K6 f% r" |1 u! c4 S. o But because of actions. / z, P. P, W- R
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Our life's prayers our answered* C( p5 @2 i0 l8 m3 s7 l
Because even the smallest pebble ! k5 T) W: a6 D$ O; H/ ^ P
No matter how seemingly insignificant3 ^, Z9 s W: } ^+ U
Changes the course of the lives, q6 ]. T+ |* f/ F& d7 ^
Of those we touch.?
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* [1 b' o4 Z* d' [- U: K And when the icy winds of death
: s r# x) _- G0 T! T; _ beckon our lasting attention* g, Y- y2 d8 |1 Z% J9 d
We will gently leave this life
" Y1 {+ I' {3 I With the knowledge that ' n$ A( j( A" j8 T" N' h3 E1 n/ f/ H" E
because of that one pebble
) z, w* |. [3 w4 f; g* i4 J5 { The world will never be the same.
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l5 {$ C" n; h5 q+ d% d2 d And then we have heaven …, y+ U8 h# z8 [2 g- ^! L
( @. ?) e! {4 s Ross Rosenberg$ s0 r3 N' e5 Y d1 b8 p+ @$ W
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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