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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." @# ?7 X% F. k6 P
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Heaven
. H) H0 C0 ]# ]* U. U: p) j The pebble is worn smooth " X' s/ P- @* ^# U1 h
Made small over time p: F' T) C) H; K5 h. b
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature+ [2 l+ J" C# P q! S9 W
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock; c% v. L, U' ^) w
An accidental offspring of a boulder 6 ]2 v2 W* A, K. H# t
But just a very small stone. ' ^6 w; l% k- P3 {1 A( K" R3 w, z
9 ~- }) ~# ?, K The pebble's place in our world
/ M+ B3 }- w9 R4 P- f2 F; b Is neither understood nor appreciated
7 O' ^) w' M/ P3 d( Z' X { But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
% g0 \: A. S. Y- b8 L. E& e Its insignificance is transformed
3 G+ D) i3 x# e2 s& F8 K Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
+ p+ k, j _3 T1 ], a$ Z Its signature of concentric ripples $ ]9 |/ r" K/ i$ m8 H# h
Spiral outwards # W G' N* ?7 U/ F
Moving far beyond itself.
1 \5 A4 ^, D1 {$ o% N, }8 X Gently affecting everything in its wake
' y7 k0 ]$ h) l p Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning & k, W2 m5 C4 x
By unleashing its unimagined power? 9 z4 H8 q( v0 }
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
0 |2 E* ~, s6 {, a Creating karmic energy Q/ ]7 O/ {9 U/ Q0 z* \
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.: @" n+ ]4 {2 ]: Y% P) C4 _
7 ]. W$ V% S, m$ z% v Aren't we all pebbles?/ b/ Q5 I3 ]% A0 Z
Feeling small and insignificant
9 E, T# J2 z4 p3 t But ultimately recognizing ! |) {6 M9 n' K$ ?% S, E
That who we are meant to be" j, f; b9 A- c, Z( E+ v
Can never be measured in isolation
& |9 C& q2 R4 D; g# } on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:7 h3 @: }4 |2 |
Our everlasting future
, O$ S) z5 j/ \8 @8 o Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
/ @; @1 M6 c, m* [- m1 M5 v0 T Into the pond of life+ C {# N+ n9 V( @! b( n, R& ^8 `
Creating ripples 0 D* n+ Y+ c) V- ]1 }
that leave unique mark on our world 4 z |2 O! Q% p2 q6 r( o5 k
Not because of thoughts
! y, I* _- Q7 T$ z not because of well meaning plans
2 j; A# J, D" e% {+ B& C But because of actions. 2 [- h* i! s2 [6 Y1 a8 a/ v
' L1 i9 z; w0 E) {8 g! A4 u& G Our life's prayers our answered. n- H: I k3 Y7 r6 x# V' n
Because even the smallest pebble
; V6 t) q/ K* T( ?, c9 k: i* K No matter how seemingly insignificant
) k6 l8 s% H7 a; K6 | Changes the course of the lives* Z( S1 U& |* i8 O
Of those we touch.?
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* E# T4 {" L5 n" r3 a And when the icy winds of death; f; i' j- ^0 W7 @) `
beckon our lasting attention
. m6 z1 u! A! E; I/ X We will gently leave this life , [) C+ z2 F1 ~+ M) Z
With the knowledge that . m! X% ~7 Q9 M8 q
because of that one pebble ' x7 S% x) F( P) Q+ J# }; E: G- C
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg1 U' M g1 G1 m, O3 F% C
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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