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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. % Y' {# B/ `; I/ h% m \6 Q9 X
9 g6 k+ ]( ?: D- l, O$ S 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.: }3 ?5 |0 h: y$ u3 c
1 N" w; D' A6 d" d4 l Heaven
D! x% G" z5 P The pebble is worn smooth + O: R/ W, \0 ]+ S( o
Made small over time
q3 B5 @, K; {* j- \ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 p6 M; i5 e8 F7 [/ t1 \0 ] A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
3 p3 j$ r! ?& T8 `8 E% s An accidental offspring of a boulder ! p1 {# c E6 B
But just a very small stone. 8 F3 B- D5 E! Q. Y5 m
: R4 ~! _9 @+ J8 `1 R# q The pebble's place in our world
7 e2 X. T$ ^0 q* A" h/ [9 ~6 B Is neither understood nor appreciated
7 S" p. y; | R But when thrown into a glassy calm pond ) V7 U! S# [+ e7 R, N9 W% V( E
Its insignificance is transformed
$ I% V7 v4 ?. e. _7 s, T* K Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
; }+ S e2 q% p. z6 a ] Its signature of concentric ripples + s, f% Q9 }( l r4 @4 g' {3 V. e
Spiral outwards * T# q. Z7 G' I0 T+ `4 Q- N
Moving far beyond itself.
$ j; A9 F& d/ @& h' l6 x Gently affecting everything in its wake
3 N! x1 i$ W& w: L1 v7 s. L/ j6 M Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
% b3 t. g' g9 h- r
0 J, x" z+ V3 {! D- K0 T The pebble creates its worth and meaning - c/ c8 r( W( P6 l( j1 k1 ]
By unleashing its unimagined power?
8 ~5 ^! o+ |+ L1 \, ? Into a dueling force of action and reaction% e& ~% o, q0 a* c3 `
Creating karmic energy
9 u( {& U5 k1 G& q, `; j Producing lasting and fluid impressions. B6 ~5 c# B( t7 E: ] X+ H
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Aren't we all pebbles?
( u; r& u( J) N3 A1 T! L Feeling small and insignificant( W3 H# [" {" w" f+ z
But ultimately recognizing 6 ^" |3 C p) ?5 W* A
That who we are meant to be
! H6 W6 z" f. D- X+ U" J Can never be measured in isolation
2 ]% | D$ S7 D* u, j on a path into ourselves.7 ` L& n( ~# r- I) e
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It is true then:9 O! k3 Q$ f" c( z8 U- y, }
Our everlasting future
% p' l+ \3 g9 R! E) V Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles% p% [( k- f$ l0 Y
Into the pond of life
2 \* x8 Q1 g6 R Creating ripples
- L8 h7 v" [- a3 O that leave unique mark on our world
+ l: S4 ]0 O- i5 S! h1 t( D Not because of thoughts ! }! \" T: X2 {, k- G
not because of well meaning plans. Z) n4 i- {1 N/ f
But because of actions.
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$ f* [) P- u# t: n% C Our life's prayers our answered
: ~6 H6 v" v! j- }4 H Because even the smallest pebble 4 C- @1 ?* m3 c# X+ z
No matter how seemingly insignificant$ a: y- I( _: b, |- l! |6 M
Changes the course of the lives7 r6 ]; ~6 u, f9 R* u
Of those we touch.? / @4 `" @/ I) h# N: @
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And when the icy winds of death
$ w! q# x+ d4 t n beckon our lasting attention
5 \# M$ {- C5 r9 X9 a8 Y We will gently leave this life # f0 H2 z* @/ r5 d
With the knowledge that
+ c1 F: _1 q+ h; d; s6 p2 w because of that one pebble
, l3 S) l% Q0 g/ z& e) j% n% t5 L The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …2 e+ @, L- ?3 E
3 R2 i8 V/ o( b6 P# x
Ross Rosenberg4 J2 A" s- S" P2 v7 g5 ~4 j
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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