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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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/ e* v5 t7 Z" Z. a9 y9 K) P# b 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
, q4 I2 r, _4 m The pebble is worn smooth % F" O6 L" E; a3 O! O; U5 F
Made small over time; }( D4 I, q! v8 u4 r3 a# i- W; h
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature' x# E5 c! _5 g9 \" d
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
& s0 ]5 W3 X7 T8 P- u! J An accidental offspring of a boulder
1 {* X) a; y# o4 [/ } n But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world " }9 F& y( {7 m6 F3 \# k8 ]6 U _
Is neither understood nor appreciated
, o- v1 i2 n0 k/ c& V6 f But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
% d$ t' U7 Y$ e: r' |0 J3 t, b Its insignificance is transformed
7 I, p1 _- i3 x. X Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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8 P- B5 d2 A$ B- q9 f8 g9 Y. C" r5 { The instant the pebble kisses the pond
- J# p5 |6 F4 a0 B8 x9 J Its signature of concentric ripples ; ?' h v- P. g7 z+ o
Spiral outwards % L: K# n5 _7 ~. j6 i. r
Moving far beyond itself.
7 S8 t/ Q5 X J+ i: L Gently affecting everything in its wake1 U3 {1 y; a, }1 w2 r/ w! j
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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! X& w. Q+ K- L( _, j8 v( I The pebble creates its worth and meaning
" Q4 ~: ]3 L: y' X8 l7 x# g By unleashing its unimagined power?
, L$ {6 Z* W% n- L Into a dueling force of action and reaction
, v: ~ \: k) L' h Creating karmic energy. u& {* G6 ~' {' ^
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?0 I! k6 {+ W# d6 @2 _
Feeling small and insignificant
7 V% n& [: m! C$ v8 t$ i2 k But ultimately recognizing / C% s! O7 i) E. I( _. ]
That who we are meant to be
: K: @! M0 d8 A' Z9 |9 o6 O Can never be measured in isolation
3 c4 [$ g' ] K4 c1 M. P% |7 s on a path into ourselves.
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( B) u% Z2 [1 \/ Z( Z9 |3 ~+ Z It is true then:' J; M9 ~( ^' b; Y
Our everlasting future 7 K- \$ X0 H+ R; q& K7 J( m
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles2 D7 u/ z5 I" f8 U, c$ ~
Into the pond of life
6 F# e! ~" |3 p$ m; { Creating ripples
1 |& u8 {/ p; V) `2 o that leave unique mark on our world 1 e7 o; v/ C4 r6 s
Not because of thoughts
- P: P0 l' _, `+ C0 o not because of well meaning plans% K; |: v5 A9 S1 y1 ]
But because of actions.
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8 Z) O" Z9 O/ D Our life's prayers our answered6 R; i% _1 t& @, o0 s
Because even the smallest pebble
; X8 E; Z$ `2 S No matter how seemingly insignificant
9 ?& B( L" P4 Z: c Changes the course of the lives4 L+ e, ~8 \, \
Of those we touch.?
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: E) ^ R" r! i And when the icy winds of death4 O4 s; i) Q8 y/ e T
beckon our lasting attention3 ?7 k# D4 L: r- P- O2 z, S' v
We will gently leave this life ; p' Y8 D/ x/ r3 e7 k
With the knowledge that ' N$ U" _, c$ h6 t
because of that one pebble 0 O- z: s0 U9 n+ r% i" ] |
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …4 H; _9 L% B: E0 G: Q* ^. ~
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Ross Rosenberg
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