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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* [* z4 E! y) f
The pebble is worn smooth
: T! ?+ ~+ M, q0 { Made small over time
/ \1 g; m8 c! ~$ T9 W5 ? A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
; v( u9 E ]2 _ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
# \1 w1 o9 r8 k. _5 X- E An accidental offspring of a boulder ) L7 F+ e+ T4 j% V
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
4 m, d0 \ o: n- A' I Is neither understood nor appreciated0 ^; n; w1 @. o- U1 ?& R9 k1 e
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond . F$ F, A1 x# M3 ^3 i) M( L4 e2 e# G
Its insignificance is transformed
: t: c! F5 b3 l9 p2 u U4 c# R Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
! q# s5 D5 ^8 [* ~# R8 } Its signature of concentric ripples 7 w: p5 x4 l3 r5 D' q3 k
Spiral outwards # x/ H. m& D# S% z( q7 W
Moving far beyond itself.
' {2 y6 Q0 d: H+ A/ A8 @7 U" c Gently affecting everything in its wake
! q/ P8 C$ q: z* B Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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1 B- r5 I& F( z0 F The pebble creates its worth and meaning
+ D' p! c: O3 X2 C r* q1 c By unleashing its unimagined power?
. C3 h7 Q% L( X) @; w Into a dueling force of action and reaction
. f- @% [+ Q; E# B Creating karmic energy
6 i% P! ^0 F$ J' s6 L/ E Producing lasting and fluid impressions.9 l/ D# e5 e5 L9 @: R$ y+ A
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Aren't we all pebbles?
0 O& J8 G' ], u" W Feeling small and insignificant3 h/ X1 E! J- G& L1 l: A
But ultimately recognizing
: K* J# p# j2 X; e8 m4 a That who we are meant to be
; f: Q+ |( g, ~3 `, w Can never be measured in isolation9 U O. X- H3 H' f2 D7 y% b4 W6 I
on a path into ourselves.
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1 q, i2 X+ \9 B5 v) L. p/ L# H It is true then:6 n, M* `' `6 Y: ?6 n2 }
Our everlasting future
* u: x- w7 R* L, g Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
- X( L7 }5 f7 n0 e) k Into the pond of life
4 }& W3 S5 a, z5 k/ w" J Creating ripples
8 ?% @) W k* m. l8 X+ O that leave unique mark on our world * g4 f7 h0 o) c3 q) P# N G4 V1 u
Not because of thoughts 7 c7 t6 S* \& K; N3 k4 o
not because of well meaning plans; F2 ~; w0 T4 r% J8 r$ O$ X3 h# V+ O
But because of actions. 9 i' ]% j7 W: Q. Z
, G# f1 b# o. x9 U Our life's prayers our answered
$ F+ A2 }% l1 ~$ z Because even the smallest pebble
! m' h# ?9 k! ` C. ]/ U4 M No matter how seemingly insignificant7 @! R1 x8 u0 v6 b( ?' a1 y7 P
Changes the course of the lives: S5 g; J7 q- o
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
/ c& Z8 S G0 j( B' O, l3 I beckon our lasting attention6 Q; u0 W' U/ {7 o# U) V, N
We will gently leave this life
& }) u; w3 X; c8 X+ i: A With the knowledge that 3 M8 v( O) P8 a! x2 A6 @8 H2 j
because of that one pebble
3 C* M7 C5 x3 a+ O9 J The world will never be the same.
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' B$ F- r. _) X( [ j7 ^- [ And then we have heaven …) L$ P1 J$ G# `+ x5 p, T7 G* l
0 I: |+ C! I/ [& y; p1 F Ross Rosenberg1 i/ j- y, k" r1 ~
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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