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Heaven

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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36 | 显示全部楼层 |阅读模式
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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. 8 [" U3 b, z0 l3 w9 W

  ?: Y  J8 i5 d" T& l* l) ` 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.
1 d+ v4 h+ Y) q& P/ ? + v  b2 q$ \% l; t1 u
Heaven
1 @' R( \$ i0 G, k% t) W% ` The pebble is worn smooth . e! _3 @. d' B3 \0 a' q7 g6 U
Made small over time' S8 }! e- n/ i3 a: V
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature- ]. t. o; A) {, u0 X5 L4 ]
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock* R0 P+ l: t. [! [0 L% V- z
An accidental offspring of a boulder ( N( [" |, x( Z; W6 M4 I
But just a very small stone.
; }$ Q( M6 f1 u6 m1 c
3 M) H: E/ Q: a The pebble's place in our world % p3 w2 L. o5 S; H& W% Z; F; N
Is neither understood nor appreciated& B0 a7 P7 L* ]  {9 N
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
  f! n+ \8 ?; |. u6 Z' J# n8 ] Its insignificance is transformed
3 \5 M0 D, f1 H& H  c& d7 f Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.# g. ?+ J( B; Q, K+ Q
- s; B) B4 D) ?6 X$ |
The instant the pebble kisses the pond2 s: z; S, }; A3 _3 I9 U
Its signature of concentric ripples
+ ?5 b" |2 o' D Spiral outwards
! }/ J$ k$ {  Q* f Moving far beyond itself.  p, C) N" R/ a$ ?( U% l
Gently affecting everything in its wake
$ F4 Y' f7 l8 ?# u! c/ I Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
9 {0 C+ A! Q, k5 C4 Q " A. I4 ^4 ?; u, x0 R  q: X
The pebble creates its worth and meaning ; T3 w5 m! l+ u& M3 M; Q
By unleashing its unimagined power?
; C$ N, F/ O2 D: L3 E$ b  v Into a dueling force of action and reaction0 U7 c1 c# L) {, _' x9 ]. c0 W
Creating karmic energy+ ~" F% T# o+ L" o
Producing lasting and fluid impressions./ @  X. X1 p3 x4 p
7 Q  L6 p* t9 X$ C+ _
Aren't we all pebbles?
) [/ `1 w9 i) v* ~0 ` Feeling small and insignificant, P& n4 B) @! q. r" B
But ultimately recognizing
; _/ r7 S8 H: O8 d That who we are meant to be5 E, G% N% V3 w- v! E! X3 S+ K
Can never be measured in isolation/ k/ m8 H8 Q% Q
on a path into ourselves.* E' V1 e- v- h# U

( P, l) G* w; X" x0 N' t0 P It is true then:% M" Z* P  ~5 X% _
Our everlasting future
4 d+ _6 ~1 Q5 X9 r2 `2 `4 x3 ]" I Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
# U+ p2 r6 l3 I! l Into the pond of life
% G5 r( i% ?# y% }" H% { Creating ripples
4 e: Q* Y( Z; C that leave unique mark on our world , a! E3 p+ \/ q
Not because of thoughts : j. S- r* G% D( m( ~" c$ ]! K
not because of well meaning plans+ [2 N3 m4 b1 i& u
But because of actions.
4 x5 Q/ ]" v6 D/ K9 y* g6 i
0 W( j6 D" a; @% g! ` Our life's prayers our answered
: {( }2 g. w$ g8 ]' j Because even the smallest pebble : y0 D! s3 x4 v3 \6 F; N) h9 r4 {
No matter how seemingly insignificant
/ T( q9 ~% [8 p' }: d Changes the course of the lives
  {3 \; k4 P( g; O9 s, P Of those we touch.?
% g$ Q* _/ W9 ^
  c% @8 n% z/ E% Q+ I' z8 o% K And when the icy winds of death
/ y4 P: W) t. W6 `/ Y2 K9 n beckon our lasting attention
& b  a, d4 q; ]1 ~, Q We will gently leave this life
- M6 f) u+ c# m& t7 O4 L With the knowledge that 8 T: i7 d, F. J3 l8 V( M# h
because of that one pebble : f/ |. X2 l. T* B1 i
The world will never be the same.. t5 {$ w0 s# \0 b3 K# R. ^
! @! x  ^5 [: G- K! i
And then we have heaven …7 W0 V/ X$ K" ?1 H# i5 K5 s( g% w: T6 u
/ h) Y! R( g' d5 ?$ M
Ross Rosenberg/ t6 ~1 q( |7 L! i  J; I
8/18/03
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