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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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5 y, @; x; n" m 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.
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" \- K: [% y, D' ~ Heaven
8 x# ]* B# e0 S1 r5 d; K: G+ o The pebble is worn smooth ' W+ Q F; m0 ?' w# l& d* e
Made small over time7 j' }# E4 S6 A' J3 l6 U j* Q
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature% ] O) }, ?+ V& l# r/ Q
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock/ I1 i- a( b' s, R+ Z. w
An accidental offspring of a boulder
8 Q6 w, \: g b7 e2 p But just a very small stone.
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+ a" K% I% R, | The pebble's place in our world 9 ]) M9 N9 H4 i* C! F
Is neither understood nor appreciated _5 M5 t8 e Q/ e& }! `/ c
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
% I h. B+ X5 e1 `0 l" ]0 i Its insignificance is transformed
7 @$ A, ]1 Q" y Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond" W- P* k+ u) p H+ l# R! j
Its signature of concentric ripples
b& R0 A0 @5 B9 o, ~# N Spiral outwards # M+ A) I- n# n8 M! S) Y, S
Moving far beyond itself.7 W2 |% x! Y0 k6 G4 {- H
Gently affecting everything in its wake7 ], l( }( i( d4 Z- `( E) O
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
( A% V8 A6 v5 f* F, P By unleashing its unimagined power? 1 A2 n `* J. S9 I# t3 b+ `, F9 q
Into a dueling force of action and reaction) f7 h) [5 C5 p5 N
Creating karmic energy4 o* ~6 f" J" g2 z! ^' y
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.0 V; I# p/ e" n6 W
4 f1 p' F; a5 ? Aren't we all pebbles?7 N& \- P$ t1 u! P
Feeling small and insignificant
# \5 i/ W$ P4 a) d But ultimately recognizing " r! n: P2 ?- y8 i
That who we are meant to be
6 S3 A5 S4 n5 S" q Can never be measured in isolation, g. E# h! s4 i& G* l
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
% c9 R8 M" [$ Z1 `6 w Our everlasting future ' F- O, e1 J1 q: P6 k+ L$ D
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
+ U6 W" ^; u3 b/ g7 p9 {8 q0 B) i" n6 { Into the pond of life
+ q% Q% l/ `4 c6 w# E# H6 t1 o Creating ripples : q, J' V* O! @8 X# U3 u
that leave unique mark on our world
# n; t+ b/ o& a0 X+ {* W Not because of thoughts
! } C9 B. w( O) A3 T* S1 d not because of well meaning plans+ j" U8 w9 n9 K4 Q% F
But because of actions.
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^" Q. b H7 P3 `; M Our life's prayers our answered
7 |* r: A' ?/ \, {/ l9 r, a Because even the smallest pebble
* k3 J. h! a9 |9 p( i No matter how seemingly insignificant
" `& D: K. C3 k" W u D- C# s Changes the course of the lives" d0 S" E) V/ I4 m, T2 n: \* [
Of those we touch.?
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! b8 M' C+ f% n And when the icy winds of death/ A7 k& P+ k$ B' D
beckon our lasting attention
& h. u& a0 Y" ?& @' D6 C0 r! o We will gently leave this life
8 }9 p2 R- \3 l0 s With the knowledge that
& i; j) h5 b/ m" n- y' ^ L f because of that one pebble ' C9 v/ Y5 w( \: i1 z: n- r
The world will never be the same.3 `! A7 l9 F' @9 q
& |% W8 @" ` U6 f: ? And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg6 R e0 \8 s4 M
8/18/03 |
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