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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. 3 Y* e1 t4 A- V
3 p( _2 C6 F& p8 w- `, [8 a) }. O
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.7 l- Z/ y$ U# @$ {% x

9 @9 G2 {" K0 E1 l Heaven) p1 V+ z$ J3 Y  ?: u3 m8 I
The pebble is worn smooth ! L2 M  n1 ^0 J" o4 h) C
Made small over time0 @, n1 P0 V9 r' d4 H+ I& A
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature3 q5 ~1 d' e8 ]8 V; j" [1 d; ]! M
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
4 J3 q' \, u4 E% X! e$ m An accidental offspring of a boulder 8 ~% ]* V/ v- F, u4 ]3 x& k- M
But just a very small stone.
4 b; Z7 b. n, \9 i& Q6 C2 {1 L% [0 ?
; I% Z" e$ _* u2 f; P/ t0 W3 K& ?, D The pebble's place in our world ( Y8 N0 r' r6 a2 V: Z! t4 ]& w. Z' k
Is neither understood nor appreciated
- u5 h. D6 l% G' p But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
2 W5 d2 v0 w6 T. u1 I4 I/ q1 N8 o Its insignificance is transformed
& s, q6 f9 E. K9 V: u* _; r Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
8 U) [  n; x8 {" k1 D$ _" J3 R
, C! [' m3 C2 W6 B* b The instant the pebble kisses the pond: F6 i0 y$ U. n! [3 @2 Z+ i
Its signature of concentric ripples % e! F1 r( m; t7 i% z
Spiral outwards
) r! m6 a. q. \. Z, C& C+ H Moving far beyond itself.
4 m2 f- h& l2 ]+ l' i" B Gently affecting everything in its wake8 N' O) D8 C, ?
Forever altering the smooth placid surface./ X8 {6 D  h/ z0 [$ T; F  ?

1 ^2 s  e1 \& U( M. Y2 A: m$ _& w0 x$ C The pebble creates its worth and meaning
+ }! {9 u* H( ?  [% G2 T& y By unleashing its unimagined power? & C, B: Z  H0 U
Into a dueling force of action and reaction4 y# v  n/ B  N5 \% g5 A# h
Creating karmic energy
( d' Q8 N. j/ x: g  A0 I) m% _% Q7 z; | Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
# P7 u0 A- z- w) d4 [9 f : x* v( P4 k* E: ^. D- t! v; o
Aren't we all pebbles?3 N7 p$ G1 W) a, q, `& ]
Feeling small and insignificant
4 t: k3 G) {* I$ V( [3 T But ultimately recognizing * K9 I$ I' W' Q6 f% h
That who we are meant to be5 j1 _$ {: X; W- m
Can never be measured in isolation
3 `: z/ R5 W) E6 w& i' o, G- l on a path into ourselves.2 ^8 q+ V# o4 V) I$ E. O
! p$ K) c3 c% A3 \
It is true then:
& k0 u9 [7 G0 x) v: R Our everlasting future
" D: m5 m7 y' ?, O3 {4 d: E: O- |1 s Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 B4 w4 \4 T: O: V" X( t7 q Into the pond of life
) x! z% K5 q' k# c1 M Creating ripples . N2 }" I$ ]$ a2 i; }( v4 A$ |  z6 I
that leave unique mark on our world
" h+ S6 w6 E4 K2 l Not because of thoughts
, |# R' m4 v/ y7 _" U not because of well meaning plans
2 ^8 o0 y' _; L But because of actions. $ ~9 y& d; q( X! ~
4 b% k. J# {/ h9 z# {" Q( F, [
Our life's prayers our answered
# m7 M+ |& i, B( s  F% g2 o Because even the smallest pebble 1 I0 w+ w4 G( x
No matter how seemingly insignificant/ x: q- p3 o9 M0 c# N
Changes the course of the lives( t! M  h! B3 \2 V7 }) T- m
Of those we touch.?
8 v/ a# T3 O. i: x6 H( d 4 F7 p& s$ \& V& }% m  a7 _
And when the icy winds of death
& v: L* r$ Y9 b  T/ o beckon our lasting attention
8 _* a& S7 L: C) @7 n We will gently leave this life % y3 m) a; U3 |' @  I3 y, |$ J
With the knowledge that
# |$ V1 s9 H! g8 t  V: r' Z because of that one pebble / B# p' o! ]/ i. ~. d# |
The world will never be the same.! Q5 {9 i8 f4 h6 s& m+ P
4 }8 m9 [# F& r
And then we have heaven …6 e; U" {$ u4 r6 i; w

/ S) j3 V6 S7 i* c Ross Rosenberg9 G. x# {& E) t8 B& H& P; g4 C
8/18/03
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