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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. , D# B" r- T6 r+ s5 F
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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.& g, L, O: T; d1 {/ ^
+ g3 c( A' Z- Y, _5 f Heaven
M: G) R6 @3 } The pebble is worn smooth
9 L& a C& x9 |- f+ y8 s Made small over time
7 ~( F0 l- |) ?$ y% H* _, t0 u A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
9 v3 A9 T& \$ x& v( W A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
2 B* z# Y$ H: A" a% x An accidental offspring of a boulder
9 t& H7 m K8 ?. a. h/ M' Y' K! r7 R But just a very small stone. 9 p/ j; S1 U9 I# H2 N1 F r
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The pebble's place in our world . c* f$ N" `, j
Is neither understood nor appreciated
2 ], K: Z# O2 G9 H But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
8 d7 C( ^8 y; }! C, ?9 b Its insignificance is transformed/ C" r& o; z# L+ w. M
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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6 S0 K6 o5 k; Y/ L The instant the pebble kisses the pond
+ I6 T8 M) c* F# d @ K( V# `( ` Its signature of concentric ripples , W4 M5 f; n# B. `
Spiral outwards
o, S% _( n5 S" a Moving far beyond itself.
# ]0 I/ Q! R' U1 K& Z" Y3 J Gently affecting everything in its wake
+ u6 C9 O$ Y9 s3 u4 E Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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% ]7 m) F- x3 @ The pebble creates its worth and meaning . N9 N, |* c- u+ j8 B, G
By unleashing its unimagined power? ! N4 m+ M9 a* B8 q9 n+ r
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
8 R6 ^) b7 B; q7 E0 V* v Creating karmic energy5 \5 Q7 }6 b& j- F I6 I& Z6 |0 q
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.# ]1 O' G, l& V0 Q
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Aren't we all pebbles?; v% C! v) m) O7 I* \, w
Feeling small and insignificant0 v& I2 o$ J% P
But ultimately recognizing
* v/ c h: }4 d That who we are meant to be4 p( U* h/ X' }8 g1 z
Can never be measured in isolation; i+ c+ M& D5 B; o& n$ ^8 j
on a path into ourselves., z# f' p: V# ]$ B+ V/ p2 ]1 K
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It is true then:( t. [1 p; R# s. D+ E
Our everlasting future ! L9 ?/ Y Y5 ^
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles, d7 m0 v6 k2 m4 p3 @
Into the pond of life
+ r( g/ o4 R0 V, C( n/ ] Creating ripples 6 E0 D/ e; d3 J4 M1 Y5 O, D8 y; H
that leave unique mark on our world $ z; L5 v. Z4 d: y$ ?5 z
Not because of thoughts
+ i- r5 N! K( P* e9 q; ?5 P, ~ not because of well meaning plans) D1 y7 g* x: `, V
But because of actions. & Y5 R# w) N4 W" g; x# A8 L
% ?4 M/ g3 j; N3 l6 @+ l Our life's prayers our answered
* {6 c$ B1 J! ^' S+ { Because even the smallest pebble
. t, \2 A' n1 { T( t No matter how seemingly insignificant
& E6 u9 G; S5 z% t/ [ Changes the course of the lives
) C; O w6 Z* v' C9 e8 ?+ T Of those we touch.? / Q( X( M. d2 n( G l, ^. f
3 M. l, f$ ]8 e2 f1 N And when the icy winds of death
( v7 V% p2 o1 X! l/ K: W beckon our lasting attention2 H) {$ P/ H4 w! Z1 S" [4 H6 y
We will gently leave this life
. D1 ]3 D& b- p# _% `& L With the knowledge that 4 u7 N* _9 f$ L3 U
because of that one pebble
' S$ m' S7 G' R The world will never be the same.# g# B. O# E# {
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And then we have heaven …) j0 p! W6 w$ N. t5 j4 {$ B. G1 r
% u3 A" m* F8 C% M1 u Ross Rosenberg
+ ?7 ]1 J- i" T* x5 B/ X! m7 | 8/18/03 |
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