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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 A, u; y3 v u) b 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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Heaven# w1 z* j) @9 i. a) e- s0 Q+ O7 r+ x
The pebble is worn smooth
! b% ]" z4 y7 r# t$ b Made small over time
& ^4 V0 b; _' F% ~ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature* u: c D7 x$ I* U4 O/ E7 G8 F& s+ T
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
& N" V5 r7 |0 j) Q An accidental offspring of a boulder
* V$ b7 g' ]2 g+ ?( w) ` But just a very small stone. . K2 H% G4 o- k" s# x7 {
: `/ t V# `6 o z7 q0 e; q' t2 {" D The pebble's place in our world
# @7 I, j) s7 m" ^( I- Z# ? Is neither understood nor appreciated% y# l) ?9 o1 A
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
2 o4 ]2 }* _" y2 C Its insignificance is transformed
, ]2 f- B# \& X- N$ Z Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
& f: t9 V# T) {" G' t Its signature of concentric ripples
2 @) @6 ]# _3 M Spiral outwards
, t- ~% Z- x, g0 M% i9 T8 q Moving far beyond itself.% ]7 m9 I( R$ l% t3 z6 A0 ~
Gently affecting everything in its wake
! u0 ?1 ]" o8 D& I5 D0 M: c ~8 t0 | Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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3 O! _. x7 _% t) V# G# y The pebble creates its worth and meaning 7 p2 L; J e6 D* S2 W
By unleashing its unimagined power?
- \5 J7 ^: I+ P Into a dueling force of action and reaction( p0 V$ V( V8 z3 p) E% P
Creating karmic energy
4 R! I( r) q) {* }7 }$ y4 r Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
, u$ b1 ^( _) _' V! Z3 i' l Feeling small and insignificant6 t4 }+ E/ O/ u0 M& b5 W$ k
But ultimately recognizing 5 _4 m- k j s2 n* ]" Y( @
That who we are meant to be
7 Q7 c( E* c& D3 R Can never be measured in isolation9 J8 | @' @" J/ e2 S, L' o
on a path into ourselves.$ ~* l; b' i( |- l2 u. k6 m
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It is true then:
$ \. D* ~7 P# i7 m4 N7 y Our everlasting future
5 [% C. c6 o$ J; H" P Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
( Q: Y5 a3 r' o2 o Into the pond of life
* ], {- y7 D* ~$ E# y; H Creating ripples 6 z& S2 i; O% P( P
that leave unique mark on our world * Y* j. B( u& c$ C4 ^
Not because of thoughts
6 b; x6 [; s- y: z- Z not because of well meaning plans
7 y n; K" j3 d6 Q But because of actions.
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5 R. {+ F* u/ r' z1 B Our life's prayers our answered( G) { E2 ^) E; \: T
Because even the smallest pebble
5 _" i3 J/ C; T1 @8 P9 |: _) p4 M" Q No matter how seemingly insignificant/ i1 P0 @9 d; ~
Changes the course of the lives- w7 w4 Q z( }
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death7 @* S9 p j. k7 N: a5 C
beckon our lasting attention
6 Y+ p1 k6 D7 v* x We will gently leave this life
- |, C8 J, _ Q2 _. v, D# i With the knowledge that
$ Y+ o, G2 r" p) R$ Q9 [+ N* T because of that one pebble % c0 k- @2 I; A5 C+ T) f, i3 ?5 B
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …3 @ a2 m# Z3 |1 A$ p
9 V3 ^& y7 S$ U |& \ Ross Rosenberg' @! `9 U2 t% \2 R. C1 k- r
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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