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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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2 f+ _7 i* r/ y" w 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.2 x7 C w! C0 i) j: K% w" n
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Heaven% S( h: j- E. H
The pebble is worn smooth
4 W% I. n4 Y3 A5 ~ Made small over time( H1 n' v6 P4 l9 n
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 q; d. I8 G1 C: j# n$ A _ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
. s% `6 I- @3 |# a$ p, | An accidental offspring of a boulder # O/ z: t' o: n& v% y
But just a very small stone.
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6 G* X& x% V; p0 J. f8 _4 S/ F6 w The pebble's place in our world & R' d! h3 R& g; M
Is neither understood nor appreciated s6 o: Q; L5 E j$ t" L" `- r
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
$ B" A3 _" {. Z: | Its insignificance is transformed' p3 [1 b1 P9 z" Z3 w
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond4 O1 e" ^4 s) l9 M. b
Its signature of concentric ripples ) [* p$ J, L! ]
Spiral outwards
5 t5 k" n1 Z5 C _4 x' ~ Moving far beyond itself.* H% _, l4 s0 ~9 P
Gently affecting everything in its wake
9 q# E) i E* H! t Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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2 ]! b2 i. H( }$ A) m# Q5 x% @ The pebble creates its worth and meaning
& g! g8 ]+ K V6 ]: ` By unleashing its unimagined power? % o% A, a: \3 x3 _$ z6 H6 }; |3 Y
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
" h0 A4 p; S- J Creating karmic energy* p; ^9 d6 _/ c1 j8 t# B
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.: F# E6 w- M4 _, I V% [
! o5 i- B, w, q$ S Aren't we all pebbles?
5 G- E9 U W% I4 l2 p5 ? Feeling small and insignificant
5 V6 s2 n6 g7 u& T& l1 X% ` b/ j But ultimately recognizing
( a% C9 w& g1 B6 e That who we are meant to be- {, P% t+ s& w! A6 R9 C" [
Can never be measured in isolation
) F+ B3 H. X3 k q0 ^6 T2 Y on a path into ourselves.! g# u, F: e5 @
H: g# p3 A" Z) y; k It is true then:% K5 l/ b. Y! @3 {
Our everlasting future
) W* L+ r! L" r' w5 h' c! Q Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles4 E9 k1 H9 K) g3 M( m
Into the pond of life
9 a; ~& A" ]" `( N6 Q Creating ripples
6 K" y6 A! }3 y% u! z& i that leave unique mark on our world / K, O9 T+ P6 r1 k5 A: w
Not because of thoughts - c( s/ i4 `( ~! v* Q3 Y+ C
not because of well meaning plans
7 q& \5 z; h* S4 d6 b, r7 K$ e But because of actions. I& R: \: O2 {0 U- w
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Our life's prayers our answered
+ V. d; M/ N" c0 V2 @3 J6 z Because even the smallest pebble
9 c7 B" g5 k7 z0 V3 G5 r No matter how seemingly insignificant% F$ W% \5 D) r9 O7 M
Changes the course of the lives& i' T O. R0 C. o+ g+ j% H& V
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
5 f, r1 U* C% l! H beckon our lasting attention I/ w/ m' ~3 _6 ~6 B/ [- }' h
We will gently leave this life
- U9 d& i9 t1 W8 @( c With the knowledge that , W$ S6 V4 x7 Z
because of that one pebble $ s3 H; u( V& K: E, ^. Z% Q) o) `7 \
The world will never be the same.+ h6 F8 Q) W3 D; }/ y5 L& m' s
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg+ S0 D4 q) F! R; f
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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