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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. / ]& r4 j" u9 N6 H! C
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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.
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$ r3 _1 k1 }; m2 L2 b Heaven! M1 T0 y# B. Z$ W9 z
The pebble is worn smooth 8 `9 W* E/ u- W' D! @7 ~
Made small over time. S7 a6 [' `+ m0 x
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
+ k0 |8 X. i7 z4 ` T( U) H6 C A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock' k- {# \& b8 E) M
An accidental offspring of a boulder 4 l, v2 e. s! H7 V
But just a very small stone. 4 H" Y; O0 x6 X/ e0 V
7 a- Z0 j7 [ f( D The pebble's place in our world ; J- P5 t* q/ z4 n* O6 o. z# J2 b
Is neither understood nor appreciated
% x+ e2 K, A, W7 g: G/ ? But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
7 T. i& V6 p3 F# |% l7 | E Its insignificance is transformed
) W& P2 L |6 M2 ^ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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, L% ?8 X8 P, _6 b* h; [ The instant the pebble kisses the pond, o/ e2 Z% Q1 r& ?; \
Its signature of concentric ripples ! h7 g6 p- [- S% a
Spiral outwards / W% L1 Z6 s+ m
Moving far beyond itself.
. h4 b, c, j8 v1 n Gently affecting everything in its wake
' J N1 ^$ @4 [ |: b, P+ G9 C Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning 9 G5 l4 Z. G' N% x, N
By unleashing its unimagined power?
9 b. D U- `( D4 T; f* R$ @ Into a dueling force of action and reaction3 K* l* Z7 R5 a
Creating karmic energy# E+ c* j$ p; G% H! ]
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.- F0 Q( ~6 b6 S. u* |
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Aren't we all pebbles?2 |4 n" L% K# |- o8 J8 j. y
Feeling small and insignificant* y \6 F4 \( X: {
But ultimately recognizing
) B2 S$ ]$ G: ` That who we are meant to be+ H; D- A, V8 h$ w
Can never be measured in isolation0 L. {5 t4 r3 k# U! \3 M C% d0 U
on a path into ourselves." s5 |2 d9 M1 ^1 M Q4 ]
, f. J& D' B, Y" R It is true then:
. k; f0 i% d b' v Our everlasting future " h8 k+ ^* h3 E8 e( E& l) q
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles7 g, _7 U' s: k" b f
Into the pond of life
; U$ ?, _+ v- B Creating ripples 2 r8 s' g, R& r c
that leave unique mark on our world
% U i4 S! g8 [4 w9 n8 F' r Not because of thoughts ' I* L1 k# m1 X/ d
not because of well meaning plans
+ H7 [8 r$ W+ T+ P6 I) l But because of actions. - ~8 ~3 G% _ @' J7 r
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Our life's prayers our answered7 G5 g1 e5 g. F) X
Because even the smallest pebble
8 |, I7 X3 J% b& i, l+ [ No matter how seemingly insignificant
' t+ A% ]8 _: }" M$ D8 i Changes the course of the lives7 A& h( k* M$ b+ s
Of those we touch.?
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/ v5 G& Y+ ?. a' o& b+ G8 c: ?% ` And when the icy winds of death
* K, D5 _& d( Z6 e beckon our lasting attention
7 I/ g% ]# O- @* [4 ~& u We will gently leave this life % R1 ?! M' g8 O/ P
With the knowledge that
& |5 M# |: ^- O4 L+ {. P because of that one pebble 5 i5 P2 R/ D- g1 X9 s
The world will never be the same.% A# H8 W) I" o- ?6 s: w, s
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And then we have heaven …; p# P; h( [2 ~( i3 s/ [
# O" f W8 o1 @8 K Ross Rosenberg
$ x: {7 D9 \* k# L' J) V 8/18/03 |
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