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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.! v* T3 U1 _0 q' _
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Heaven9 u% P- w+ k7 L+ n: P/ Y
The pebble is worn smooth
/ _! Q G) f6 {- @/ ~ Made small over time p7 @5 b7 F5 Y& ^
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
" m( S0 G; N$ A a& U8 p A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
6 d2 ~& E6 z' Z I An accidental offspring of a boulder
1 I U9 g2 F! {+ A$ F But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
7 m$ X0 E; D4 c: R5 L& k4 i2 E Is neither understood nor appreciated
2 W0 I& w% ~# g. Q& }3 R0 n But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
8 G& l* o+ X& x' q# c' H5 { Its insignificance is transformed
2 K$ a4 j5 C9 o) k' X0 ~! D Its meaning and purpose is unleashed. k: \; X! ^& w, e6 m. {7 j
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond& M! Z/ _$ \* @/ V8 `; s
Its signature of concentric ripples & M7 @: Y4 q [5 r
Spiral outwards
m4 N) ~, ?) |& Z+ F) j# L Moving far beyond itself.
+ p4 U% ^/ ?% _1 [- _% W Gently affecting everything in its wake
6 C; o8 B+ E: m. e6 Q5 r4 s Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning " [' e9 }4 _) n+ l5 c
By unleashing its unimagined power? ' h3 j/ g2 m# ^6 S0 c2 \4 u, \
Into a dueling force of action and reaction7 F& l: s5 T' K9 i! `. ?/ T
Creating karmic energy
0 U; G2 N1 o$ |6 D) V Producing lasting and fluid impressions.4 T& u, \" L0 z' j& d
3 p" E1 C2 Y3 m; j Aren't we all pebbles?
+ H0 i' Y; ?: @1 y' | Feeling small and insignificant
0 L% x' i! i c1 f! V( q% l. L But ultimately recognizing E% |) G% h! r' h, [$ h
That who we are meant to be
) d8 ]7 u3 x& m$ q$ N Can never be measured in isolation
+ w' C# Y; \$ [* i on a path into ourselves.9 f4 e2 i1 H% l7 M: ^, ]7 Z7 C
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It is true then:4 S @0 m) y$ ^7 G4 C+ R
Our everlasting future 3 w) R% [( {' U& S4 h
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 [7 o( J; s% d w3 H8 O; b% g Into the pond of life" N/ H5 y7 E$ l- E1 D
Creating ripples " @5 A) B, V7 G! f2 }/ X
that leave unique mark on our world
3 ]8 ~' U e$ a& C! v+ A/ [ Not because of thoughts
9 z" K+ m8 Z7 V7 z; Q. u" c& K not because of well meaning plans! w7 \+ u1 y% u
But because of actions.
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1 H9 k$ K9 o( x1 v1 b Our life's prayers our answered
: f0 J8 O# O) K0 [; \; P9 d Because even the smallest pebble 8 W5 F5 X. e, m% D
No matter how seemingly insignificant5 V# k' C: p) K5 W" z
Changes the course of the lives. J8 N g( D, X& Q) A1 V
Of those we touch.? 5 X1 `( V& S+ X. o7 Q
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And when the icy winds of death
7 g) f6 P4 q% n- X, b1 Z beckon our lasting attention1 k! L6 y% r5 M
We will gently leave this life
+ m i$ I `6 b. |: n: g With the knowledge that
/ `4 h$ D: N9 q$ Q- W. \7 M because of that one pebble
5 r4 q |0 Z; F' G The world will never be the same.# I, t( S5 f" W2 n
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And then we have heaven …; x. \( |' h5 i
" }1 b2 [6 H( H2 ? Ross Rosenberg
( }4 y# z1 ^- z% \: D: H5 v8 ` 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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