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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." \' N6 q1 L" ?9 o7 i" U8 l6 n
4 r- ?: v6 b# Q; U6 O" c Heaven! m1 Q$ `5 y. n+ N
The pebble is worn smooth ' u5 w8 ~8 G% r, o, E
Made small over time
) e+ D5 w: q/ ? A product of a cataclysmic force of nature. G; D" H! T* { i- z3 c z9 W
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock) Q) b M4 r- C$ h, ]# E1 l" F) h
An accidental offspring of a boulder ; Z* s( `& [0 l- a
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world 4 ]. P9 j' c' I; A/ a
Is neither understood nor appreciated5 _5 F! a; {4 z6 a
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
. G7 t# q4 b! r. {. s$ U Its insignificance is transformed& t, f4 L9 w. ?; @: ?( c* x" e
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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; U' @! S- t6 |4 ]7 @ The instant the pebble kisses the pond0 M4 H( m% N8 x' {6 g! i
Its signature of concentric ripples % k5 F( G) o( s
Spiral outwards 4 d) G) I# `8 A% w" O) U v7 P
Moving far beyond itself.
9 F, B: ~: g4 g3 W" K; V Gently affecting everything in its wake
* E& s: n/ ?' L% K) F Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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+ n0 ~: _4 a& p, ^: c The pebble creates its worth and meaning
b4 m; f# L0 h+ c) t% g By unleashing its unimagined power?
% p: M3 n3 r/ G: {( w Into a dueling force of action and reaction
4 X! G) J2 `! l. p- @ Creating karmic energy
7 d; D* h& x* f Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?7 o1 b- a2 x+ N5 T2 z1 O
Feeling small and insignificant
. J- O+ f# [5 m4 I But ultimately recognizing M) h% e6 ]. x- s9 ]* O
That who we are meant to be% A- Z6 ~, a S0 T
Can never be measured in isolation
# ]% n/ H) }6 o0 b7 Z1 g on a path into ourselves.3 j$ k' i3 p' \+ |
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It is true then:
6 h! _1 t6 D1 i0 J' T: {! d) }' q Our everlasting future
" c; o8 E& E u8 S. r( h+ w8 C Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
: O$ T) T5 R1 n4 v' b Into the pond of life+ o+ L( M. s9 _* }9 v
Creating ripples : @ T2 X: J: E! ]4 m$ Y( y4 y
that leave unique mark on our world
& m5 Q: U- g7 Z% C( y: q" ] Not because of thoughts
2 K4 P: B/ ^: n4 f5 ^. s not because of well meaning plans
+ ]9 h/ b% x4 i$ n But because of actions.
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# M# i8 o$ h8 G Our life's prayers our answered
3 V( L* _# X- v5 @$ P Because even the smallest pebble
, U+ a) O* c8 M3 W$ |4 I: i No matter how seemingly insignificant3 `, K7 D# ^# O& V0 Y/ F
Changes the course of the lives! S# Y8 \! y" |+ | f
Of those we touch.? 5 H; I" Z2 x7 T; k- ^
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And when the icy winds of death7 o* H* e8 e' E3 S
beckon our lasting attention
6 p. ]( ^; Y0 ` We will gently leave this life
3 U F% N! L7 w! c3 W& d With the knowledge that
{! O# [; e W0 D% U because of that one pebble 8 X% B9 r: y b) M* P. e) D
The world will never be the same.
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" O }0 a2 a: {# c* y% A And then we have heaven …( j+ t. D$ c) Q# O* ^: [2 W' m2 V8 G
% S, m9 |/ y' ^1 \5 i. [
Ross Rosenberg
* f4 x3 I( t) h 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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