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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. 1 Z9 a/ y$ z$ {% [+ g+ j
+ n' D. j; N) N& G/ a5 }8 T 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
2 u! F! `% a) W( o: y6 I4 g/ F! E; } The pebble is worn smooth . |. n, h# {: c& i. c% C
Made small over time
. n1 }8 B9 b- B A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
! J2 n- ~! G* F+ P6 r. { A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock6 B4 I" N5 F" J3 G7 m/ p
An accidental offspring of a boulder
) J3 H- b" l& D. K& }! T But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
8 |% L s+ x1 t0 e# p& Q; T! w Is neither understood nor appreciated
$ ` w$ U- X- \! M" ^ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 6 u" {7 T( L' V2 r" M. D4 K6 Y( s
Its insignificance is transformed
[, |6 r' C. i0 e7 s" ^# `! Y+ Z Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.; ?7 E: i2 Z) v. \. W7 u& ^
+ C$ ]2 \) g( ~1 r) F The instant the pebble kisses the pond
! |: Q/ M" q4 H7 m" t, y$ I' o Its signature of concentric ripples
% O6 R4 g% ?3 x& Y! g# b' \ Spiral outwards
8 j9 o5 B% Q6 A/ h% ? Moving far beyond itself." _4 E" B g; B7 h7 o( _' P
Gently affecting everything in its wake
* m- n4 m4 d: q t; d$ R0 \ } Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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, h+ ^+ k6 G3 m0 {- o The pebble creates its worth and meaning * Z+ E; R# w6 f. k& ~
By unleashing its unimagined power?
* v9 C- F/ ^% ?8 T I Into a dueling force of action and reaction+ G. w8 e% m& |+ d& Q* [# o
Creating karmic energy0 @0 _! ^0 f* @! {2 S
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?+ N' U, m' v9 { c* o0 _8 x! [) g6 \
Feeling small and insignificant
5 ^. R1 p6 x# j2 {8 f But ultimately recognizing
& `% s! Q3 F3 X: Q That who we are meant to be2 A* E, _+ r. f4 p, d' ?+ f
Can never be measured in isolation
8 ]5 }3 W" z4 J2 l1 b7 A on a path into ourselves.
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' N( ~, n7 |3 f$ {: U It is true then:
( ]2 D* L/ P |5 `& | Our everlasting future
, S, X, u5 \0 k+ \ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles! V' O0 I, ?% @! [$ a5 i
Into the pond of life" a9 S& s. F2 A
Creating ripples + k: I9 h ~- w5 a6 f# {! R" E
that leave unique mark on our world
' a% M9 ]* W' s. Z: G7 I* m) O Not because of thoughts # L& L5 y7 Z. g* {3 U
not because of well meaning plans. P3 ~* n5 {; q# b, R
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered5 D' s7 [. q4 O# B) J8 n/ t8 y
Because even the smallest pebble
' I& Y- C) Z! D; Q9 g9 m No matter how seemingly insignificant
9 F4 h l/ A. J8 O Changes the course of the lives7 v0 v; L }, R9 p
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
% t( C; [( s8 ^9 r! D8 h. w beckon our lasting attention
2 ^# Z+ L! S$ M# M We will gently leave this life 3 m0 D9 R1 h" b
With the knowledge that |( I# \2 R H) N4 Y- J
because of that one pebble
0 |2 F5 d0 v/ F The world will never be the same.0 @& x# E. Y! ?* i) ^; z3 C$ N
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg1 \1 z% u2 J2 X" H+ F. J
8/18/03 |
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