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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.
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Heaven
$ t" c I& D0 |) X* U4 W: } The pebble is worn smooth - ?: N; f5 l3 S# m( i5 y W
Made small over time' v( ?, L( D) O" b% A/ n5 _2 K* {
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
& m) z9 i+ L& O% p A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock1 J4 q3 Q( @4 }0 P
An accidental offspring of a boulder 9 K3 Q( N) ~4 F$ c1 G4 A0 ?
But just a very small stone. 5 I9 S9 W5 O4 S2 T( r7 j8 v5 ?
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The pebble's place in our world
: x/ ^2 H! l$ w( f Is neither understood nor appreciated% Z) Y; z% S4 S4 M! e4 E/ R
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
0 C, Y4 j7 _% W% X Its insignificance is transformed: T: j4 B0 Q* p
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.1 n0 z3 Q. ?* M5 t/ Q1 n& ?
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
4 m4 W" w8 s0 r1 I! W& } Its signature of concentric ripples & A0 y$ j7 N% L* x/ z
Spiral outwards
$ l# S5 K1 `% ^* d+ H+ } Moving far beyond itself.
+ k7 h, v, [" z: R& y1 ~, Y; e Gently affecting everything in its wake- e9 p6 Q! L- b* j" [* O' q9 j
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
+ w# d. U+ k! X; G By unleashing its unimagined power?
2 b$ B" y9 s, v/ _6 V. | Into a dueling force of action and reaction' S& ?- f: P: V2 ?
Creating karmic energy
0 {( I! ?- Q3 P0 {, E& E7 b* i7 v4 Y! V+ m Producing lasting and fluid impressions.* N( Z) r/ ^* f0 ^2 ^ ?4 f! x$ p
8 }' w3 i" W! o& A( T Aren't we all pebbles?
# r+ |; F# F* k: o Feeling small and insignificant
! I2 _% E8 K m) U But ultimately recognizing * U. u9 N5 z5 t) n) y
That who we are meant to be
1 L2 s+ W O3 E7 p Can never be measured in isolation8 C# p5 A% A. \6 S
on a path into ourselves.! X, S: R& }, K( ], g( p! O N
! `8 [$ ]- ~1 \2 j' r It is true then:* e* F: p8 a- K2 ^. {6 ^
Our everlasting future
# h) l6 v# n: f# z: V. p- b Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles$ h& o6 }. u Q6 C* R) C9 h3 Q9 D" w! T
Into the pond of life
9 i5 Y8 | e0 H/ w8 j$ L% j Creating ripples - g/ K1 r- C4 X. Z8 p6 z
that leave unique mark on our world
7 {9 O( T3 H) W" ^$ O Not because of thoughts
. Z& N1 V6 e% [5 X) y0 a not because of well meaning plans8 l, Z, T5 t( V5 y( n
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered- C; z1 ^; J P( w l$ v. j
Because even the smallest pebble : s* [# ]$ K& i6 Z6 e& ]
No matter how seemingly insignificant$ T9 B, v. Y9 J. ?8 z0 ] Q7 Z
Changes the course of the lives
3 D" K( H. R8 z0 f, j- D9 T/ | G1 S Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
5 R* z* X+ Y$ K; F6 }/ G beckon our lasting attention) p& w! d: P( s7 ^
We will gently leave this life 4 C6 q0 [% \6 m$ L( a' ]5 J3 C5 {
With the knowledge that " G) t$ h. T* w( D* l% k
because of that one pebble
1 R( x+ t% u( {2 w! P$ q. Z The world will never be the same.
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* U# b( g4 `! s9 z% L) w& q' D And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
: f8 {! M0 K# {. H0 Q, P5 F 8/18/03 |
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