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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. * q5 O/ n B( p* s! r7 o5 h
- S D2 X) ^" v 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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4 e I- x1 L/ s5 r5 k Heaven' w h0 J2 S# G) N% n* r
The pebble is worn smooth & _0 r9 B& A7 z2 z9 t# `6 y
Made small over time
0 T9 e* ]) z0 ~* \% v$ P$ I9 T, { A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
( g- `. d( P) y4 B. D A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock9 ?4 s2 Y ^8 D( f# |
An accidental offspring of a boulder
5 x. t2 t3 p& m6 X; X7 P But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world 9 _. k+ n7 P/ k X$ r
Is neither understood nor appreciated
/ J/ l5 _5 H% G8 } But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 5 N0 k2 F. J# s
Its insignificance is transformed9 f# _4 S: n, P% x3 k
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.6 b# \: D3 v; n( H5 p5 J3 ?% z
8 X- S$ o" G/ c' g3 d# r
The instant the pebble kisses the pond' B, N0 E. O3 i! X- S
Its signature of concentric ripples 7 ^$ e& C. x* b+ i N2 L- V
Spiral outwards 5 ~6 h# g5 L) b' z3 I$ S& j
Moving far beyond itself.* m& o8 ]! o* ]- n
Gently affecting everything in its wake" K3 {" r& @* O+ j/ n
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning / a% s/ c9 j% O; q# D: L
By unleashing its unimagined power? + `2 C8 B4 X' e$ A# F" A2 P
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
2 x# m7 F: I$ T, G; P& F6 o4 [/ h Creating karmic energy% v$ {# z! {# ?' k% S* T
Producing lasting and fluid impressions. ?: H) s% J8 P3 Y# a. z4 h
* r0 V9 i2 B% o Aren't we all pebbles?
9 o) g) o0 q2 P Feeling small and insignificant m( ^6 H3 H7 L# ?: O+ R3 | c# ^
But ultimately recognizing
- |8 z0 u# c0 x: d2 J3 [ That who we are meant to be `+ S/ z3 O2 Q$ F
Can never be measured in isolation
% V2 Q G; W& N" I- I4 g8 f% h on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:- |3 j( I) K0 N2 v7 \% I' p
Our everlasting future
% J( d- I5 g- U+ D: B Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles Q5 ~' z) P$ x: i
Into the pond of life7 O0 l, b* o3 v$ P5 \
Creating ripples
" V+ | D' _ q6 k+ L S, w that leave unique mark on our world & _3 s5 a# e E a& T
Not because of thoughts
: X q! k* w( U9 b8 C9 |7 B not because of well meaning plans# h& j7 h( d, a( {: U
But because of actions. / ~7 z5 d8 R+ m% L7 J% y' e
$ t5 ~% C" m( q Our life's prayers our answered6 Z; F7 a, p0 d) k* Q4 c, F
Because even the smallest pebble # E1 E6 S2 v# V# U0 u+ P
No matter how seemingly insignificant
# i/ E# I, _1 S% b2 M* y( z Changes the course of the lives
: G. Y+ G5 H, \$ T Of those we touch.?
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: q% X% ^( r' o And when the icy winds of death* c F6 s+ N$ e% G. {
beckon our lasting attention4 h" J" c5 @4 A
We will gently leave this life
' t. x, ]% U' M8 d; D5 X With the knowledge that ; p/ @) Z! B T3 m" I
because of that one pebble
: O* A, h; y' l. B The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
k6 ?% v5 v7 ^2 H5 `' S . }# E" h: Q2 K: W! u! B4 T
Ross Rosenberg
( g2 Y3 U" h6 j7 u f 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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