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Heaven

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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36 | 显示全部楼层 |阅读模式
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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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7 n) e* T) H+ ?, } 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
; }  l) \) ~& t  a$ @3 |9 \+ n; i The pebble is worn smooth
4 K$ J0 Z: Y5 q5 W+ |: [ Made small over time- n  S5 t. P% d& v( c
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
0 S! u4 U" V5 O4 t$ V0 X5 n1 | A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
$ t/ o9 M6 |: m. y9 v! o' R7 l* a An accidental offspring of a boulder
8 F6 B; a( q/ k& c" Y' Z3 n! V2 Z But just a very small stone.
& G4 N9 I( p* [4 T. F; z% \
' @4 R- |% ^  g7 Q The pebble's place in our world
9 g. H. M1 S1 x$ g" D6 _ Is neither understood nor appreciated. {2 G) o3 c2 `# `7 j: [1 _
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond   M% \) G4 `4 y. V6 A% y
Its insignificance is transformed" w+ Y4 c* Y8 d
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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+ {# F) Y; I( w: t* H, i5 J The instant the pebble kisses the pond8 K" }$ S2 _/ \/ [* k/ s  z3 q
Its signature of concentric ripples 3 B  R+ T7 S: ~+ c
Spiral outwards 7 L9 u% s0 }" t) U& j4 W5 R4 W
Moving far beyond itself.8 v6 b- K) o' i; B# Z8 m: _
Gently affecting everything in its wake
* ]( |2 t6 x9 j7 I Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
  D* H% J- ^2 E& n: T( x% c" _' M , D; f3 ^2 J8 Y9 @0 e
The pebble creates its worth and meaning 0 f: }$ O, H# N+ T# s
By unleashing its unimagined power? " g9 r, F# |3 K7 C  |. e4 P
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
, [5 F3 Z- Z+ B: i) {/ F& Z8 M Creating karmic energy6 H4 c& }5 m; R) @# |. b
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.) ]/ n% l: F& z$ z( e! W

/ p" D4 k* H' q0 P+ z$ K Aren't we all pebbles?' b; \+ ^: C8 }! j# \
Feeling small and insignificant1 B1 S/ B. B" Z$ x* u
But ultimately recognizing 8 V" I/ R1 [- K7 h
That who we are meant to be
% s1 o7 f( z+ M Can never be measured in isolation
' _4 U/ w6 y% ]5 G  E on a path into ourselves.+ G4 O9 r* x/ v8 D& @# _

" T! L$ \6 D4 }. ]/ H It is true then:
' f. @' D. ^0 @6 N Our everlasting future 5 i: P2 Y, t  \) V# y4 p
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles# N1 Y: R$ P$ {" o
Into the pond of life5 Q& U+ J: Q; `7 q) q
Creating ripples 1 W! Y% I! s1 i
that leave unique mark on our world & F# X# R0 m+ L5 }/ `
Not because of thoughts $ y4 v% u, z! s+ Q& q) x! X+ w' N
not because of well meaning plans
3 ~7 ^6 b) y1 [4 W. l$ X3 V But because of actions. . ]& f3 F  d" M4 U: E6 A
. d7 \. W1 d3 S. h( A
Our life's prayers our answered& h4 Q4 i1 _+ d/ h
Because even the smallest pebble : Z* T8 F# M+ [1 ]
No matter how seemingly insignificant
( m& {4 ?! N1 m- v8 Q9 Y( Z/ \ Changes the course of the lives
( ]6 m, H3 n, S3 w Of those we touch.?
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8 z$ O  b% f1 _+ L0 i1 H' u And when the icy winds of death& V/ d" ]. V2 I( V( o
beckon our lasting attention
& t! u' |% t0 G0 L) W3 F We will gently leave this life
' M, i9 f) E9 ]2 H2 H With the knowledge that , e. [  q/ O: L' E
because of that one pebble ( G: E& [' P5 e; {
The world will never be the same.7 i: m5 g( W% l( A
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And then we have heaven …1 V3 U8 A8 t( Y. Y  Q
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Ross Rosenberg3 O/ U% l& U* e6 R% t* Z+ c5 Z
8/18/03
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