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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.- N0 A9 H7 e3 r/ B, ~2 f
7 G7 C8 v# j5 K# Q7 }+ q6 n' n/ ` Heaven
2 I4 `" k( l8 O2 `9 X: { The pebble is worn smooth ( Y/ H- Y5 C5 n7 A- ?3 F) o
Made small over time- _( Q0 f3 c' W+ K& G
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature) x9 E, Z$ |1 v* G" w! y
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
0 r0 w; x' o' H8 A1 k$ K An accidental offspring of a boulder
6 i% y5 Q0 Y0 o But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world : P! m' i2 ~3 n) f/ P! }
Is neither understood nor appreciated
" t. S' _( ]5 D( {& M6 T0 E% L1 T5 X But when thrown into a glassy calm pond & Y4 c, B8 I5 w6 O/ b
Its insignificance is transformed
, w/ [) h- t, D. k: A) u! I$ n Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.2 U' }( X6 [/ n
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond* P* V& g) @! { k; P$ n/ o0 S" u
Its signature of concentric ripples
! h7 \6 t+ J9 y Spiral outwards % j c' t: a( p' k; ?
Moving far beyond itself.
# k& R1 W. k9 n Gently affecting everything in its wake
, i. m5 s5 g9 d* d' ~ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
4 Z9 G, h/ ~( q6 _6 f By unleashing its unimagined power?
/ k6 A, k" ? n2 W Into a dueling force of action and reaction
) O* ], F. Y* m: i& s! [( V X+ [ Creating karmic energy$ @$ G8 M+ p" |5 x, t
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.% k- [4 f9 f D$ M7 W
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Aren't we all pebbles?5 b* s2 w0 `; W1 t4 g* m
Feeling small and insignificant, j+ y& Z' d- b9 f I7 O9 p7 u
But ultimately recognizing
7 E5 S! x+ I$ c/ a( v1 Z E That who we are meant to be
+ F7 }+ V# _5 ~ Can never be measured in isolation
& h; Y c8 d1 ~1 C- o" T2 B. _7 r on a path into ourselves.2 a& `- V1 v& e) H
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It is true then:+ {+ O, `$ Z3 a% S9 L
Our everlasting future : X# }9 W. q- K/ }# @5 S
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' Y% L2 U" j" m6 A Into the pond of life
# B/ F$ {7 w" Q6 f Creating ripples
& D3 A. o) e h/ @; ~ that leave unique mark on our world
+ `4 M3 T! @4 {" z1 n Not because of thoughts 2 \. N3 \' e( N6 U
not because of well meaning plans1 n1 j# ^6 s' }. |; X% ^3 b
But because of actions.
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" H; v0 F9 C& i+ D* Q# J Our life's prayers our answered
$ H% g' c4 r3 F" Z0 p Because even the smallest pebble ) X+ K& o+ u t( x% W3 H
No matter how seemingly insignificant
8 t# @3 f4 q7 A8 j$ D' l6 l Changes the course of the lives, ^/ x" _& R' T; ?6 n
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death# h" V" m J6 z1 R' x" _ q
beckon our lasting attention( W. E8 U8 J: R0 \8 M; `) x
We will gently leave this life H; A% z0 p6 C
With the knowledge that
4 B7 `# J5 _) w; \& R4 d8 J2 U because of that one pebble
" B* [! k. U7 y7 c! \ The world will never be the same.
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% A8 e5 P% t/ K And then we have heaven …4 w- Z% F" K* m$ p! w, D1 y. ?
- Z3 x' ?4 |, s* T9 G) d4 X Ross Rosenberg( S4 s& ]* C, q0 j
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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