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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. {# B8 D ^' _, A% ^- u
The pebble is worn smooth E, N$ P8 i' D. ] X2 \4 c
Made small over time
6 I x9 w) U2 ]# Z A product of a cataclysmic force of nature. p8 K+ ?. @, q
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock# |, a. D2 N, f( }
An accidental offspring of a boulder + Y; R/ k" E6 d0 ?7 f/ | {- @: ?
But just a very small stone. / M2 D$ o& a9 L, G
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The pebble's place in our world 2 S; g9 A! ^0 _3 O0 \* {0 y
Is neither understood nor appreciated
5 J, g& L/ ]7 ? l But when thrown into a glassy calm pond + [! l( z" c0 j4 h" X
Its insignificance is transformed
5 g$ J! {6 }6 [2 _0 G2 z, c3 ] Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.! J) p' S0 {; I! x& e6 \$ R K
; K7 v7 j) l4 N8 y/ Z) `( j# | The instant the pebble kisses the pond. o8 S( h; C* ^& @# O! _# O
Its signature of concentric ripples ' l2 s* l( M" F3 r4 k2 V2 @
Spiral outwards - i9 O5 ?# C7 b+ e% U; n
Moving far beyond itself.$ E* O, v) E# s$ b- q
Gently affecting everything in its wake
0 a5 C1 z. F5 K$ @2 j- k( ]0 w! \+ x Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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1 ~ C9 ^ W5 \- M9 c! | The pebble creates its worth and meaning
. m% G( b# \0 I By unleashing its unimagined power? ( ]* S R, |& K8 T& L
Into a dueling force of action and reaction% g8 t# M7 y" @2 }7 B
Creating karmic energy
, {+ E5 t& f5 V2 Z6 ] Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?: x9 F7 A1 e- F6 ^0 h! g) @
Feeling small and insignificant
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That who we are meant to be- A4 E w( I8 f9 V/ V* @
Can never be measured in isolation7 E/ @* L0 o* ?* z) o. [& @
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:7 v V& ^2 z/ M# h
Our everlasting future % e/ Y$ Z! I2 F! v6 I1 j; e
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles* x% o3 z4 [* x' y1 b8 ~
Into the pond of life
2 E1 D% V: P- }' A5 e9 E& N0 o9 A Creating ripples / k+ }' {1 I, O( G
that leave unique mark on our world 7 Y: q$ }4 a K) i. k3 f
Not because of thoughts
R& |3 t+ A5 |6 j. D not because of well meaning plans
3 u& [- {# N+ k- f) }1 ] But because of actions. ' s) t. m% C2 z) [2 a+ \3 I6 F
- W' Y* `# l5 s1 x( X" g3 e Our life's prayers our answered- w& W" }# z1 g3 L) o
Because even the smallest pebble
{8 w! W, H4 \* Y4 r+ A+ j) u5 Q No matter how seemingly insignificant9 u5 i& _" @% p8 C
Changes the course of the lives+ i1 d7 u# `% {( I) t/ h4 q
Of those we touch.? , S0 G; [# k: O( L+ c
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And when the icy winds of death0 D7 @, l: ]/ S# m
beckon our lasting attention2 w5 p7 W; t8 }
We will gently leave this life
. f& H& P( w7 j% g$ H: |9 i. ~( g9 D With the knowledge that
- W- V0 P- y; q \- z/ k because of that one pebble ' K, d& U" P. S
The world will never be the same./ T: x) [) n8 y7 }6 n
Q. `! V: h6 i( |5 s And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
s1 y' p n: n" B 8/18/03 |
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