 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
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.
; v' `( v0 t# [) z+ Q/ @) w& t& H
, j, M7 P1 z- H% f 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.' \. ]/ u, N0 w9 Y
; R! f! A" T# \ D4 N S# e& N5 m Heaven" a# F$ u5 t; {/ v* d3 n7 s5 f( \
The pebble is worn smooth ( E; i6 I% t6 D' j/ t8 _
Made small over time G p9 C( B' m# h4 s# c* m8 s
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
% c5 Y2 E# e# Y3 Z. y i; N A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
2 u0 U! ?" `8 \: B1 v( t8 g0 T+ \ An accidental offspring of a boulder * ~1 c9 t. \6 `4 {1 U" _0 T r( O8 x
But just a very small stone.
7 u' Q$ n$ s4 s( p( b
3 E% |/ A2 A+ ~" ~. a The pebble's place in our world 5 A. o/ I- {* @, Q0 }/ G
Is neither understood nor appreciated
7 O r* x( z9 \ But when thrown into a glassy calm pond ) @; I! _) O6 k N( ~6 M- F
Its insignificance is transformed
+ w: B% f: d. x R Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.4 ]) t! p4 x1 s- L
5 j5 b9 P) @4 Q' j. G7 R The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 @- j# h# h6 k5 ?" O Its signature of concentric ripples
: G {: P$ I- K6 g' \/ o6 ^ Spiral outwards
7 A8 x6 o# }* r- X' I' v7 w; f Moving far beyond itself.
+ ~: ^$ E: Y3 l Gently affecting everything in its wake- D9 B. G0 d0 ^- n3 j8 B, z
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.- ^2 z) y' [$ [" }
& u2 r; Y! ~/ a' ^, o" W The pebble creates its worth and meaning
# V9 H3 k9 F- `) h By unleashing its unimagined power?
+ I6 e; }5 I. d+ Y) d* R' H Into a dueling force of action and reaction: d. \/ R U7 H" H, J! W
Creating karmic energy
9 }) M1 g' h. j7 B Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
$ X' b* a1 S9 Z1 [1 ? ! x0 w# r* E9 J- y
Aren't we all pebbles?3 A) t- N$ s8 K
Feeling small and insignificant
- u2 q1 r" a) }& g% C& J- ^ But ultimately recognizing / l$ o7 q/ d+ ?
That who we are meant to be
2 f( M2 h$ ^; ~ Can never be measured in isolation
# q3 X5 |3 x' m0 U; j% N on a path into ourselves.
$ i4 m9 P# Z* ~ 7 ^6 w+ G5 }0 j6 M: v, H& R% V9 l E
It is true then:3 @, U y9 h. H+ F( f
Our everlasting future ! u3 X- t5 m9 j4 e3 a; {. c4 ~
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles; @$ _, [# l, Y
Into the pond of life/ J1 [3 M- K' U& ~" o* Q
Creating ripples
# D! y1 S5 W6 H' M that leave unique mark on our world
9 T: q6 z+ G1 J/ p Not because of thoughts
9 f; r0 e# Q$ \. p' v not because of well meaning plans. G8 K/ E. Z3 A. P6 T G
But because of actions. - U2 {8 i" G2 b* `6 P0 C( O1 N# w0 J
. A5 q L! i) b( ?1 e3 v3 o; `( i Our life's prayers our answered9 A+ }% F( d2 P0 W" J4 o( u5 q
Because even the smallest pebble 8 Y! f4 u. h2 D2 M& |
No matter how seemingly insignificant
5 ~2 M# T! a9 s5 A Changes the course of the lives8 ^3 W4 _+ `: B6 N
Of those we touch.? ! W% G O& A6 i, N& J, @: C* U- w. M
0 b1 e, i9 M. P; ]( }; J And when the icy winds of death
: d1 [2 M. U" D& {; x6 ~ X beckon our lasting attention
1 {1 ]' ^) H/ x- m ^ We will gently leave this life
6 s5 W5 P, p. n4 u4 o* M With the knowledge that ' ~$ `! \( Y# M7 T7 | \+ h( @
because of that one pebble
1 U; Q% M7 ]7 |8 Z. Q The world will never be the same.
, }, { _% t2 h% r# ~ 7 b: L! b$ O+ y8 G, w
And then we have heaven …
; X: P5 Q8 y. y% p3 ` ' z% G X. {9 x
Ross Rosenberg' W, h/ H( {" s% p1 m! T' u
8/18/03 |
|