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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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$ J n) q& X5 o- E7 g 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! u m! `1 H. N) [- i3 G+ N
The pebble is worn smooth
& _4 Z R2 Q# p- X Made small over time
! J# w. j/ R) ~- n A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
& l1 l# f h) F8 x1 P; A A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock+ P# P7 H0 f% K
An accidental offspring of a boulder
- n0 a0 ^. I1 i% L% K, ^* h' W But just a very small stone. : q5 ]8 v9 M6 O
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The pebble's place in our world
2 L6 W$ o7 ]* b0 p- D- b$ E Is neither understood nor appreciated
7 ]( G7 m) x) D+ s But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
- l- J; h; B; G# t) p Its insignificance is transformed
+ @7 j, I8 X2 L1 U3 ^, d Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.( P. ~5 }. t3 r7 Q. J
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
/ o8 g' [5 w3 a! e) z Its signature of concentric ripples + s, \" T+ N0 c8 o! ^& [, a6 H% x$ i
Spiral outwards ) r7 W% S( E6 d9 X7 W0 n
Moving far beyond itself.
* a$ o, E, k5 t# k8 Q1 x, r/ n Gently affecting everything in its wake
7 [6 D) s* O' p8 Z- P- s Forever altering the smooth placid surface." H: a) J: ?( U' a
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
4 w- [4 @! _6 ~1 X By unleashing its unimagined power? 5 `8 m$ }0 f7 ], R
Into a dueling force of action and reaction6 O0 Z1 J- {. R3 I
Creating karmic energy
, i; Q5 ]. m7 T8 I- W1 [& q) b Producing lasting and fluid impressions., A4 C% _4 @, R( d
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Aren't we all pebbles?9 O1 t8 a2 p) L
Feeling small and insignificant; a6 Y8 I3 G' [9 V# N. ?
But ultimately recognizing 9 Z2 ?: x$ {5 r% d
That who we are meant to be
' ~* ^3 l% E/ o' a2 L7 ~ Can never be measured in isolation/ Y% [0 ]# R. A- O3 o5 G
on a path into ourselves.( Y, Z1 B' o! J$ V2 g, f
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It is true then:
% _, L# B1 l7 a4 m Our everlasting future
+ s& E( F/ ~" q% c6 P3 S# g Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles9 |' j# Z8 ~ z5 c( r) F, J9 F4 D
Into the pond of life
q- x* \$ R3 r3 Q Creating ripples
. R6 W$ I2 K4 v* N that leave unique mark on our world
# ]0 y2 Z+ {/ z) x' S Not because of thoughts
) O. p6 @ e. E6 g4 R not because of well meaning plans& l X" E2 i8 E
But because of actions.
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) A+ ?6 }$ D; X4 \5 c' W! h Our life's prayers our answered
2 w, T4 @ Y& W/ z: X0 D! \ Because even the smallest pebble
# o2 \+ v6 a! w0 B7 Z No matter how seemingly insignificant& L* s4 g y2 F; O; o" c3 A r+ A8 z* {
Changes the course of the lives4 S# _ ?. J. _4 Y& U2 k
Of those we touch.? 8 ~8 q8 p, }" T& N' ?6 W" z
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And when the icy winds of death6 s6 c/ i: l7 V$ o7 w3 D6 C
beckon our lasting attention6 P2 s4 d$ F) g4 m" q ]8 V7 f
We will gently leave this life 6 f7 [' M! D. o4 [2 `
With the knowledge that
: T" h3 F! K. z6 O' g because of that one pebble
! I" J! l9 i! c9 B$ @2 U/ i The world will never be the same.# J! S5 B& D; U& a/ E
1 L9 J# @3 ?" u) c7 I6 r. p T: S4 | And then we have heaven …
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) e# o# H0 ]6 G6 F! X; Y1 z Ross Rosenberg
4 `1 @, n5 }" j1 H* i 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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