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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. ( Y# n1 ]# F2 i( z% g+ d/ ?2 s
+ r6 [( U$ U! A, A* V. 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.
0 J$ C. W- r* Z q! E* V, ~
9 t6 a4 p5 K7 i' r4 L* i( R8 o. E Heaven
- r3 O) R9 d5 `: t; l3 ]" \ The pebble is worn smooth - [; j3 M6 M$ {, S% q
Made small over time4 t) l! W9 ~$ ~8 e. }
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature7 [- d4 U4 w2 k3 p. k# g: G9 u- D
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock% X4 w$ n" u' w' P
An accidental offspring of a boulder - r, ]* W" A7 v7 v
But just a very small stone. % n# v) l% z2 u5 o; Y1 O$ {. I# R
0 l; \. U3 d6 G- p1 ]
The pebble's place in our world 0 }, Z$ Q0 _1 o0 _
Is neither understood nor appreciated
. k9 ]5 D* Y7 h- R3 l But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
# F0 R6 b4 S) h! y3 E, }5 H Its insignificance is transformed6 l% J+ B& b# |7 f" H7 e
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.% z1 V0 V) b; F
P2 L" z4 ~! u
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
H: c8 a$ b f$ q Its signature of concentric ripples . [6 q( X# q: r
Spiral outwards 8 x! J0 y* [* O) V
Moving far beyond itself.8 _# }2 w. O+ d* H9 ~/ A1 A8 f8 m
Gently affecting everything in its wake* C& B* [+ m- c& O$ ^2 u% k! B
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
8 l7 u3 p" m7 \2 j: b+ x. [# }' m
Y U9 { m' C4 n" K; T4 B The pebble creates its worth and meaning
, w5 H! }, ^7 C$ J! q$ h By unleashing its unimagined power?
0 w/ c5 ~; x6 J Into a dueling force of action and reaction
8 G' r- m4 X1 X Creating karmic energy
* v, t8 M) a$ }1 \7 z4 i( Z Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
/ d9 U* M0 A q; T4 U/ w( ~% R. q: Z 4 H" q' E5 k6 K6 ]0 c2 R( R
Aren't we all pebbles? Z o t# s; w; h- J; ~" m" K
Feeling small and insignificant5 G5 v) s: u$ X7 h4 j. @7 `, d
But ultimately recognizing
3 r9 C0 l, E$ Y! Z9 C. U ] That who we are meant to be h2 f0 s7 o. e- `7 a
Can never be measured in isolation
3 g& U) A" G, @1 e on a path into ourselves.2 L" ^# B& d% {1 |! I0 P
" ]. J: D" t4 q6 H! Y7 Z It is true then:; B }4 B: X3 W$ Z E. f8 t
Our everlasting future " b( q+ @2 \! d9 ]2 M
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
1 B* u8 O2 j" c. _+ J Into the pond of life' Z+ P/ R, w! m. K3 B0 L! }, n% u
Creating ripples
& i5 T7 T$ c7 k that leave unique mark on our world
$ J! @! Z$ i( y) J0 C( N# P Not because of thoughts
7 n, b6 b" i0 J/ w% C1 P* z not because of well meaning plans
7 m" Y2 m6 l e' t But because of actions. $ b) {/ H" V8 g; ]. Q. `9 z
! D. w. l" ~# X' J( B
Our life's prayers our answered
, q, E$ A7 z1 [! v0 E* W Because even the smallest pebble
, e) w! E& Q+ ?' S0 f0 z, @ No matter how seemingly insignificant- H, z9 O- j8 ~. f- f& U: P
Changes the course of the lives
7 L" K4 v: `/ e: F Of those we touch.? % f1 W) J$ @, n7 {
5 x$ n" P) _ {; Q& J6 B1 A
And when the icy winds of death( @* g. u n2 P3 Q
beckon our lasting attention0 R: Q& K* `5 l9 N; t7 j
We will gently leave this life ' o/ X8 a" ~4 X1 [/ m$ |- L
With the knowledge that ! j$ m% A* k# z# X
because of that one pebble
5 \2 w9 ^& ^# x0 y4 i The world will never be the same.
( |# g- \5 M& {9 e7 A3 O
! I% u& d9 R; e+ Y9 B And then we have heaven …8 x& a% O* K8 O* j* W
: i' p w3 ~: D Ross Rosenberg, M6 F3 P( k, G
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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