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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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+ w+ X7 A6 ^1 ?. s- h- X4 r 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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5 b6 {# K/ r1 \0 L; d0 N Heaven# e) h$ {0 v4 _: u
The pebble is worn smooth % V8 B: Y7 {) l+ h2 p
Made small over time
. v z8 `' ~$ ^ ?. Y; B A product of a cataclysmic force of nature# b( A) r$ j+ b
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock( ~4 F/ g0 k" `* Y
An accidental offspring of a boulder
5 J B2 y* N! B* |' w But just a very small stone. & ~1 V: S; L; r6 i J7 _
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The pebble's place in our world ~/ R/ ]7 l) F, u7 C7 P8 X% v
Is neither understood nor appreciated9 v/ Q' ] H" O
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
1 f& _! W0 y: _7 K7 I+ e: f" p Its insignificance is transformed, v1 X6 s. v( X$ T1 k8 K1 F
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.9 Y- ?" G5 L2 |& Y! p: y d1 G! |
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond; A' }* M$ G- q4 q
Its signature of concentric ripples
- K2 j0 K( a( f. i6 |) F8 b Spiral outwards
& x# o- D8 C7 w7 ~+ Y8 j0 \. H: w Moving far beyond itself.9 {: Y. r% I4 Q8 |- i: c
Gently affecting everything in its wake7 `# r6 M; Z7 L# n0 A' O
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
( v$ `# n7 T, X/ C By unleashing its unimagined power? % M0 N: i# Q& |4 Q9 L
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
* w+ ~: t- M. R Creating karmic energy
1 I! c: x( _& h) V. I Producing lasting and fluid impressions.! l! C6 p% Q+ J4 R$ }9 C: b
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Aren't we all pebbles?! E8 }8 d' v% r9 ~* j" `
Feeling small and insignificant/ d, z2 i8 P* u- |/ G4 A! k
But ultimately recognizing
* r' [1 Q% i7 W9 v" o! S That who we are meant to be3 b4 @- \/ D' M
Can never be measured in isolation6 m5 _7 a( E S: s( {
on a path into ourselves.; ]& Q: ?( T" E
6 K2 M9 ^& I3 f% L& o! j It is true then:
/ U* z `" _4 J( X Our everlasting future 6 W$ d: A/ V5 G9 }+ Z1 o2 Q
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
; L6 v0 f- s' ~& G% }% \7 `! n Into the pond of life
" }) {% S" J2 V W$ c Creating ripples 0 G2 K, H% s7 F9 C5 Y/ j
that leave unique mark on our world $ u2 ~1 g- x# O' M4 N- M& l( R7 @
Not because of thoughts
6 a7 A% v% _% v7 j% t3 p5 T not because of well meaning plans
. e" }/ Z6 v) l- a; p% @+ U+ S But because of actions.
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+ ~8 {* Y+ c, z5 M' ^5 P$ s Our life's prayers our answered* a0 A* h4 T/ @
Because even the smallest pebble
0 w$ u! a B2 @9 f4 Z No matter how seemingly insignificant) W1 Q; E% V/ Z& n) J( U
Changes the course of the lives
) J, h6 T* ~1 j2 a+ C. c Of those we touch.? 1 X2 S* n6 V+ n2 ^) h
% F0 d6 X9 d6 g0 |( x And when the icy winds of death- @2 X5 d% S5 p- o7 x9 E2 M$ T6 z
beckon our lasting attention
3 ^9 D. r$ Q8 J& N) {( t We will gently leave this life 4 @3 n' r. f1 c/ W G3 l+ y0 m
With the knowledge that $ ~! g# v) D# N3 j9 `; C3 _8 S
because of that one pebble
- Z u) z4 e r The world will never be the same.
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o8 y% S: f3 V& i. B And then we have heaven …( d* H8 X6 _, `5 _0 t
7 `/ W/ U8 D: e8 Y2 w1 n Ross Rosenberg
& S7 I. @6 l% ^6 \ 8/18/03 |
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