 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
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.
I+ j* ? j# |" H1 u " c2 a* @( u; S& f+ G* r% T9 D
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.+ x5 g: c8 T: x1 X+ M' u
1 A) m _0 p9 k( o. Y1 [! E
Heaven
+ J0 ]! v0 y" Y' Q) U; U$ G The pebble is worn smooth ; _ y/ l3 J& t4 S0 O* {+ F
Made small over time
3 L9 u' g+ I" j# J" `3 U+ Y$ Y A product of a cataclysmic force of nature/ E5 K7 L$ ]7 n# d/ p
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
0 [& d8 z( I: n5 n- l! D An accidental offspring of a boulder - U# o5 F5 a" V
But just a very small stone.
9 v' B* L8 s( O2 e7 k
; v' p6 M& f1 g! x The pebble's place in our world , d0 @2 }5 y; y) V" i, D
Is neither understood nor appreciated9 q* @$ G! V0 ]$ v6 R
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
3 \6 [- ?& _# h+ w Its insignificance is transformed" z7 k3 w# I, N0 q/ }
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
9 |' M* S1 r# f : M9 d/ d0 h' B6 u" j
The instant the pebble kisses the pond( I4 M) ~! _+ C- G& j! e
Its signature of concentric ripples * Z3 E* G* K; \) F1 v1 i
Spiral outwards
# L o; C0 e6 m2 I9 y. y: f2 s- N Moving far beyond itself.; }5 }( E* [7 M9 }$ _9 `3 W$ x
Gently affecting everything in its wake8 w/ p# X: c1 u2 _, E( g3 e; T
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.2 o$ F) K. C! ^
6 Z# Q0 y8 |* e1 G8 A* o The pebble creates its worth and meaning
0 c/ `$ ^, Y1 N+ C' L By unleashing its unimagined power? ! z% O8 D- D) M
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
1 ~- e2 Q2 T+ d) m4 g Creating karmic energy, x' @: ]: O$ y D2 h" _2 v- u
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
0 D* o* G" Z) [9 g. S ! {& }+ y- ^: j$ R: G: D D
Aren't we all pebbles?. u. R* c4 f3 ^' E/ W( m2 t
Feeling small and insignificant' `$ u1 R8 o: ~6 j
But ultimately recognizing 5 t# O1 t) a Z5 O" t6 o
That who we are meant to be2 J2 [! T4 U' |5 e
Can never be measured in isolation
. ] f# R8 L) v2 b3 X on a path into ourselves.7 @, A0 l8 ^+ w1 ]0 c- p
- l6 Q% m/ Y. s1 M' A) }7 b7 B( A' Z
It is true then:+ Q7 `# ^$ g1 H. Y* j: g- n
Our everlasting future
/ a9 W; p9 V. A% p# n$ K$ g Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles' H3 [; U% N% M2 Y; u
Into the pond of life4 e# U$ C2 X: ^* ?: S- I
Creating ripples ) P/ U$ b. y, t
that leave unique mark on our world
8 d P$ u! f/ C* A Not because of thoughts
" ?/ j9 S! Y& _% A8 j& d( P% R" Y not because of well meaning plans
* k3 J' H- ~) c But because of actions. # p! L; X. Q" T0 V; v0 F
. t. e+ `. q% q5 Q" G) v Our life's prayers our answered
- F p, i% K( ~+ T) E( p4 W- T. c3 L Because even the smallest pebble
' u) ]- S" M# o% p6 f0 G+ e# ` No matter how seemingly insignificant
1 u; O* e2 q/ b7 p* u( n3 b Changes the course of the lives: h" L6 [6 Y% n
Of those we touch.? ; g0 o( ?0 A' ~4 s+ b
& m o- Q9 b$ o% Q8 ^: }/ q
And when the icy winds of death: `/ t9 h4 ~9 W% f8 {' e
beckon our lasting attention
: l- U" l+ n" e- ]$ C We will gently leave this life
4 m- G- E( ~ g# D% x1 `8 v# s With the knowledge that
) y* @9 o& w- Y* o, H5 [ because of that one pebble ; M. d7 O( G( G+ J1 |7 R
The world will never be the same.
4 d+ w6 N6 j9 y2 G8 [9 _
, j' s/ C( j# s; V: {* g |. E And then we have heaven …/ Y$ K/ p6 P# t- }/ \
: m" S$ z- R: j4 |+ _7 N* x
Ross Rosenberg
' T4 @, `$ h+ X( L( } 8/18/03 |
|
狗仔卡
发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
提升卡
置顶卡
沉默卡
喧嚣卡
变色卡
显身卡