 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
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. & S1 Q. A. ~$ i9 v: r
- G# R- m1 F! y
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.
* V9 [" x* i- }) l. F% Q' ] 4 }4 m4 u) Z3 F9 S, N! C
Heaven
3 D" x. g/ ?' a9 e! }* d* S The pebble is worn smooth
4 o& k/ v' e$ |# V Made small over time- T- c! j% ~! `. Z/ o; ~
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature4 Z% B1 a2 D( b: ^
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 Q* S3 r6 j4 K An accidental offspring of a boulder ; s1 H$ s* h* c7 V5 W
But just a very small stone.
" n3 b5 W$ T9 {& P5 `: e1 C
. I; P* h! t" N/ T The pebble's place in our world ' Z& _+ i( Q' t' k( O) a) x
Is neither understood nor appreciated. O* ~. r- G6 {/ b' Q4 P3 B9 `9 w
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond . `) U! \ w* e+ P# f
Its insignificance is transformed; y2 B$ y+ h- U1 ~! p# ?0 a+ j
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
3 F Q: X5 v7 q4 h" r- D$ f 3 e; U5 F! }( Z5 u4 t/ _
The instant the pebble kisses the pond* r8 a2 i+ Q* h1 {
Its signature of concentric ripples
, x7 Z# x# z! K/ f9 p3 L Spiral outwards , g5 ^- d) x, {7 x1 O; l
Moving far beyond itself.1 l0 }. l' Z% T% Q* x
Gently affecting everything in its wake
) o; C1 G7 i+ Z2 R' [! [ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.% M) [( ^# h* y7 F, b; Z7 S
' ]5 q/ l2 e8 i The pebble creates its worth and meaning `3 T4 c6 P3 [
By unleashing its unimagined power?
$ F* l# o+ o' U$ Z$ n+ O( c0 w Into a dueling force of action and reaction, F1 ]: \# E7 N( j$ I+ o
Creating karmic energy
: O3 Z# ?+ F" N' r, e { Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
" v/ r$ S5 @6 o# _' \ . i7 k# G; S0 H2 v
Aren't we all pebbles?
& [" E; R1 F. [ Feeling small and insignificant' \6 \+ f4 E% V; h* D% S) x
But ultimately recognizing
% h* t5 L% V5 q0 ~ @ That who we are meant to be3 J4 v6 Y9 ~$ Z2 b& R& f6 q7 z
Can never be measured in isolation+ C+ Y4 H" B f. I& q1 r# R# g
on a path into ourselves.+ Q9 u G( A7 U
. {0 Z9 }9 W, ^* @3 A2 W
It is true then:) I/ n2 w- p. ?$ I- g+ X- @) M
Our everlasting future ) h- ?. o! s1 s$ x( t: W
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles2 _& [0 f7 \, d) D% P4 Q' u
Into the pond of life& q& J! K0 A$ ]: p
Creating ripples ) g/ p; B- {8 _
that leave unique mark on our world ( Z2 A2 _; ~# R$ l! ]' v: \0 c) G
Not because of thoughts
6 I; G' U6 S5 R+ u# L+ h. d2 W not because of well meaning plans( Z# o* v& j) H% I+ M" Z/ I0 F: w, w
But because of actions.
: _$ s% D- h7 k ' _- x: W% f5 e5 Y1 k* ~& }3 c x
Our life's prayers our answered% V4 n8 a! v! Z; }6 {' |0 D0 b
Because even the smallest pebble % b2 Y3 P! ^; h9 a
No matter how seemingly insignificant/ `( M2 s8 l7 Q( i
Changes the course of the lives
8 @7 y" n% Q$ e) l* U Of those we touch.?
3 ^7 H. ?8 q/ G! ^
, O1 g+ }6 v7 D4 t' e And when the icy winds of death
6 k. X6 ^7 C) \! |7 q# g, E! c/ ]1 q beckon our lasting attention' Y; i! Y6 n% x8 v; R
We will gently leave this life
* |8 r' |: E& J/ q With the knowledge that
9 l6 Q$ N, X0 N8 A because of that one pebble + o8 `- k! l1 E
The world will never be the same.% Q) a9 S4 P+ D+ s* H2 E
% n4 f7 \4 D. `3 F. i/ F* H
And then we have heaven …
5 E7 N: h! L/ i6 u1 Q 2 {& Q- D \: r# q" U6 _5 [
Ross Rosenberg# d; V, p S# x4 J* n, ^
8/18/03 |
|
狗仔卡
发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
提升卡
置顶卡
沉默卡
喧嚣卡
变色卡
显身卡