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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.. |- L& I- F; _; [2 O7 B, O
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Heaven
$ j4 \6 S% i1 X The pebble is worn smooth & K1 T! n& M7 y$ G7 o1 ?
Made small over time u) Y" J! M% J4 B
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature$ k: ?% y3 _3 q2 [% n, U/ F- o' }
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
# f9 A8 U5 ?( C1 i An accidental offspring of a boulder
% r- F3 @8 m% R' t L" e But just a very small stone. % p$ {2 w7 E. {+ k: Y7 Y) k9 U, w
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The pebble's place in our world ) u! G% s) n ]& H6 x
Is neither understood nor appreciated
& H( q: a- L- @' Y( L3 s But when thrown into a glassy calm pond : m3 Y4 ]& m4 i; ?5 S% [* A( m& L# S
Its insignificance is transformed
, |' s% n( }, t. l4 N Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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) C1 T0 q' z5 ?7 K2 e The instant the pebble kisses the pond6 z+ s: W! N& f; E- G1 p; a
Its signature of concentric ripples
- i ^: h2 K( x5 D7 d" T: ?* x Spiral outwards
! b' E+ b4 S' V' h Moving far beyond itself.
* f" w( ^: w6 ?5 C' w- t Gently affecting everything in its wake5 N( N7 D9 T" V4 ]
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.6 I1 H( H! [# p! o0 O
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
+ u% S7 c5 f' D% R+ }6 }% l0 H By unleashing its unimagined power?
1 b6 ?6 ^3 ?' Z" [* A O ~' B Into a dueling force of action and reaction
) B5 D r U. y5 z- ~7 u) y Creating karmic energy
# g# \$ }, p* Q% y6 T: T/ M+ ~' v Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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3 w1 L+ R& C% O* I2 } Aren't we all pebbles?1 a8 x. T* x3 g7 P
Feeling small and insignificant9 M9 m5 \- e) \6 N2 }1 I
But ultimately recognizing U& F; R& R& L4 F6 h
That who we are meant to be& _9 \- E E& c% S+ z0 P( P
Can never be measured in isolation) r* `/ `" D) e! [: k0 [# b
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:! p/ L# h. c: L8 j( M. n- ~" i
Our everlasting future
( h5 n" ]7 R9 @ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
# j, c. q: k2 c" b Into the pond of life
3 W* Z6 K) N4 s* Q7 | Creating ripples
: Y# d* j \+ ]. | p that leave unique mark on our world
; i: V t# M5 a1 b- B& A Not because of thoughts
9 Q0 L1 g4 ?0 {- s( X. ] not because of well meaning plans
9 E; V9 y$ G' o4 w% D But because of actions. " U$ i8 J" d, C
; V `3 n! w4 O4 f; l" t Our life's prayers our answered" g/ M }$ n9 Q, U
Because even the smallest pebble
s/ `$ W6 X8 p# y0 Q1 @6 L3 J No matter how seemingly insignificant
% n( r4 d' T" S% c, m. d Changes the course of the lives$ B H1 K9 h4 x6 Q
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
' q3 ], P, }, }/ n( _ beckon our lasting attention2 u! }* A- G4 D. m
We will gently leave this life
/ R; i' n) Q" h& W' ^* z. c8 o! N With the knowledge that ' X. ~4 D/ o0 \/ A ^; W4 O5 T
because of that one pebble [! `* W* q! I: b; U2 J
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …7 n' I+ {# F# q4 o# r. c. R
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Ross Rosenberg" g# z5 d- t4 {5 g8 X6 L- g! E: `
8/18/03 |
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