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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. 4 H6 ~ v* W7 |, V b0 s% _
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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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Heaven2 U. f" c3 |8 e- Z- M+ C/ h7 a
The pebble is worn smooth
/ ]- ]$ ^" H; x X6 [! j Made small over time
4 s t. ]$ `4 w A product of a cataclysmic force of nature a; Y; J) [. i0 R' u7 e6 r8 k
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock" w. d% _* m! j7 v! i! u
An accidental offspring of a boulder 2 B! i8 @8 R! g1 s( h
But just a very small stone. ! P( Z' n0 ?# t3 U
- l6 S/ |3 s$ v2 f The pebble's place in our world
! ]7 _( N; L6 i% b# M Is neither understood nor appreciated
$ ]% h Y$ z! W8 A$ q3 D/ _' N But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
; ^: b! C, G G Its insignificance is transformed
2 L) l+ t8 ?# x9 t' P+ N$ D! i Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.: U& `# S& k# @! g) E9 G& [' b7 `
3 O' F: U6 l2 d: w. B The instant the pebble kisses the pond
2 B" h0 z5 E, K* o: Z# P- ^ Its signature of concentric ripples / d# G! ]/ ]! e' S0 p
Spiral outwards ( O; f y8 B" a
Moving far beyond itself.
- G/ K7 H# D; X" R Gently affecting everything in its wake) n- L) Z9 F4 ?' G% n1 ^
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.: v/ J/ o; t1 J0 z+ k3 `
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
, T4 z4 M* P& l! ~3 T$ B By unleashing its unimagined power? & t" E, y3 X5 @
Into a dueling force of action and reaction: T& ?# w5 T1 d$ j' \
Creating karmic energy$ v- |/ J( Q# g
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.( B$ k. B* g! @, ^" _
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Aren't we all pebbles?5 e) u+ K# w3 p6 q! @
Feeling small and insignificant% H: X( d8 e$ R- N5 `0 ]3 F7 u2 W
But ultimately recognizing
* ~4 r" r. B9 s6 s That who we are meant to be4 l+ A) O; n6 x8 O* l5 s# b5 A
Can never be measured in isolation
* T- v+ }+ s, ~- [# h3 w on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
1 S5 o! n1 N( W/ K; e Our everlasting future 8 y" {; V# c9 d% u% ~# }) J1 j
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles" i2 P0 l& k- U D2 V& V
Into the pond of life# E! T+ T# z3 ^8 u- H1 J" K
Creating ripples
- u3 |/ O' c9 _$ W* _7 _; V3 m that leave unique mark on our world 5 L* a; [+ X/ z# z
Not because of thoughts
7 L9 v1 n8 t, ~0 _* w& U+ s not because of well meaning plans
8 e) w9 Z! F6 Z But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
4 Q8 A, P0 z9 f. c" x Because even the smallest pebble
5 ]$ X" v$ q9 N) ~3 q. Y No matter how seemingly insignificant3 n( G; I$ x6 t* H9 f0 u
Changes the course of the lives
6 \) C# I5 q" l0 y; | Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death6 |$ Y% T* t0 r# j
beckon our lasting attention9 W j* w/ e& `6 S& ^7 f
We will gently leave this life - a. s/ i* C4 x' s
With the knowledge that 6 R) I: x- ^- [$ F' F1 A
because of that one pebble
- U. r x. I7 w The world will never be the same.0 b8 f1 y% f9 {
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg1 u5 j9 E7 r/ y' d. G! D
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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