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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. / [9 C4 i5 g) V. {5 p
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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.7 V# ]1 m8 _( G( ^1 l7 j& Z
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Heaven
0 k; \7 m% d" `) s1 R0 { The pebble is worn smooth , c- o( D! X- J5 O) p9 i
Made small over time0 K+ S9 v" n3 `' I8 f5 c4 D( G
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature' i' [3 N- v% E! A0 E- m
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock1 E: p. d. t$ @6 ]; }
An accidental offspring of a boulder
( m! E" @+ f. H; Q But just a very small stone.
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# F% t0 v9 M# l0 m The pebble's place in our world . S' Q2 G) U" N, o
Is neither understood nor appreciated+ o ~" q5 X! O1 Y B- n" i
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' P8 t3 g! Q# a" E3 v Its insignificance is transformed( Z; b& G9 g/ k
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
: F& G4 N% }( D Its signature of concentric ripples
* a+ @' b# N! O8 V* F Spiral outwards
# R- |% q" e# m- b) @7 T8 f Moving far beyond itself.
- q$ l; L/ Y" N Gently affecting everything in its wake
+ U9 N, H, C* i Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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" o$ K2 b; c6 F& n4 n The pebble creates its worth and meaning
. F" W% o( e# f) L+ M; a2 _ By unleashing its unimagined power?
% T$ ^# ^$ V" G% c9 k5 x9 q Into a dueling force of action and reaction
- ^7 W: L" R% R Creating karmic energy$ z, V2 p; X" _! V% T
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.; Z% I! t' Y U4 \0 L/ ^
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Aren't we all pebbles?8 J, g* E( W C' j- f
Feeling small and insignificant$ {9 s1 R% B* @6 t
But ultimately recognizing
% ^% w1 p9 x! i; G8 { That who we are meant to be
0 ]8 a' i" H5 j! F# k# \ Can never be measured in isolation% c% y( I, L1 F: \) j
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:. [" q. J+ U: M: Q3 ^% L' a
Our everlasting future
0 c% L+ Q& I6 V2 O* C# k0 f) r Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles: t# e/ h- v% y6 l& {! {
Into the pond of life* ?. p) z8 J& k" H2 w1 \4 R" s
Creating ripples ; p8 B: e0 j, C/ e* P' Q. }
that leave unique mark on our world
: y0 g4 f- k$ A/ ?( ^ T6 V% Z Not because of thoughts 0 C! g4 u% m; q
not because of well meaning plans( k- H- ^6 r1 |9 v% k: _
But because of actions. # U: e+ h& D B
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Our life's prayers our answered, Z- ^( o7 Q- V5 b
Because even the smallest pebble ( Q! q9 K7 F$ Z, s' g2 y$ D
No matter how seemingly insignificant
' Z0 _1 o" k+ N" \1 B; U Changes the course of the lives
. a2 `" x# C% t7 y* G6 D Of those we touch.?
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' M4 K" s5 g/ u; F9 `$ H# w And when the icy winds of death
9 {5 x) B; @% [ beckon our lasting attention+ } t* Z! C0 z6 e' w' C* W+ D
We will gently leave this life
# C8 T) u3 B5 ^0 r With the knowledge that 8 ^/ w# z: Z* }
because of that one pebble & I+ o/ Z* q7 R& ^# B b7 r
The world will never be the same.9 I/ X; d' H0 v* w8 e) G
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And then we have heaven …# _5 `6 n; \9 C2 A4 _- @
! w6 I- `3 e; X4 Y3 W% I$ l Ross Rosenberg
7 }& L4 J. A0 i' I/ @ 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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