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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. 2 @3 k# `) H6 A, o" c
) y( ~; S( Q: ^* W7 R 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/ s& j, h" p6 S
The pebble is worn smooth
/ {8 i/ @! [ x7 e- _" I! B6 B( u+ D Made small over time
' o5 Q& O4 \ S6 q A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
: c8 A/ C6 U8 O3 v9 y' c2 [9 x& m A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
6 ^9 n$ S( O# [6 v( X9 V- _4 x" [4 l An accidental offspring of a boulder 3 J- m) _# b/ t F
But just a very small stone. 5 U1 B3 ~, q) R2 C
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The pebble's place in our world 6 O( D p S, | }% l: F* N
Is neither understood nor appreciated/ Y* k" Z7 {* {+ @* k8 e: G _% L$ m
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 3 w6 r* ~! u& |5 i& D. F
Its insignificance is transformed
6 [& I0 j6 g; _. |: W6 H: y Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.! u* J) @' |8 o7 V. }+ z! c
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
7 z8 A: T7 O/ T% a& \ Its signature of concentric ripples , p$ u0 B2 i3 A+ Y! H" p
Spiral outwards 3 ^; z E7 U! G, c
Moving far beyond itself.
4 @* W4 U$ q# [$ M0 @* } Gently affecting everything in its wake A6 E1 y; U3 ~+ ~# w; g: @
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning ; K* d9 Y1 _4 `3 n# @; `2 d) ]- \* l
By unleashing its unimagined power? 0 v, v: F6 d/ s9 [3 \) ?* w
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
) ]) y2 m0 W+ e5 Z1 M Creating karmic energy, l) d. o- W5 }: T" b7 V
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
, S n: @* i7 {) o( C; q Feeling small and insignificant; M* k6 m/ T, Z, P' d, d% n
But ultimately recognizing
+ q. j2 y+ C6 L" } Y1 J; }9 [ That who we are meant to be, t! f2 K6 |0 Z; t8 C, c
Can never be measured in isolation
?, e4 h7 i/ _8 W" M1 C on a path into ourselves.
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, p1 R6 U6 j* P% M. X It is true then:
; s$ a. _, z+ Y9 K0 e Our everlasting future
9 ~! p: N5 T* p* F Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles9 z. W1 I* b) U6 @9 |) J" h
Into the pond of life O% h0 Q3 s4 O
Creating ripples - J: h4 h. \0 C* _: s
that leave unique mark on our world
- J+ u3 }2 A+ g0 q4 U Not because of thoughts 1 m( E; ~2 o, F2 q9 h, h O7 |5 {
not because of well meaning plans
7 j5 d6 b0 I6 @8 g3 T! n- f1 z1 Y+ n But because of actions.
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: D8 U/ c* m6 ^8 Y0 d: J4 g1 C Our life's prayers our answered: p3 F- B- ]: B/ h( V
Because even the smallest pebble ) o# K& P$ c2 I
No matter how seemingly insignificant6 M( s: U+ p9 [8 ?. B; \
Changes the course of the lives
! d/ l2 X( D8 l! I# k! M Of those we touch.? - j# C. d4 o! `6 [" F* W4 S
' n/ `9 a/ N K+ l5 ^) h And when the icy winds of death3 b8 R9 v4 K$ t6 U
beckon our lasting attention% d( d! i4 B9 \5 X
We will gently leave this life
|( y9 @2 n- [, G, d' I With the knowledge that
) F. u% Q4 n+ {3 C because of that one pebble 6 V$ T$ T8 u w. O% ^9 x
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg: ?3 e( S% s5 ?0 @* P
8/18/03 |
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