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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.
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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.
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3 T; s/ [+ Z: F1 R9 ]/ v Heaven* W% q: F5 C! k+ w; V E/ u: W- C
The pebble is worn smooth
6 c, X/ G* J8 b; q; |5 o$ t5 D( Q Made small over time$ l0 t& _/ R, G5 G" F! n7 R1 A
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
$ b/ a ]) y$ e A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock4 g1 J6 k7 I6 ^
An accidental offspring of a boulder
# O1 B% ]) B" d+ @9 p4 I7 r But just a very small stone. : P6 t6 t! `, F$ r3 K9 p9 s- K# _
- p6 a# S7 H1 y ^# t3 _ The pebble's place in our world ! M3 \# A j6 {4 Z b3 o
Is neither understood nor appreciated
- U$ M1 d$ m! O: m But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( g: o' r1 d; y9 V: a* K Its insignificance is transformed
2 @" H; k$ S* e# ` T, r9 F) w* Q Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.9 Y7 m' Q+ ~; j7 J9 J+ n2 _% g5 v
; W8 L# S. P, S! I The instant the pebble kisses the pond
2 B% i) @7 a& J: p6 H Its signature of concentric ripples
2 n" {9 a, @9 ?/ a Spiral outwards 5 j% T# `. e5 O# v1 R
Moving far beyond itself.& Q# J+ q5 R4 ^$ N$ l; a1 X
Gently affecting everything in its wake
; b/ ] J7 v& B1 d: M! t Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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& w& Q1 ]3 c: t3 M k9 O1 i- a, X! C The pebble creates its worth and meaning
: H, U# f8 I( u! c1 r By unleashing its unimagined power? + W9 a( `; G& q A
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
" q# q) A( X+ z0 y2 G* Z. v Creating karmic energy
9 }8 z. q5 o( ^% ] Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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* y: X4 d I& ^' S8 P |& k0 e Aren't we all pebbles?/ q9 p7 U- p" r
Feeling small and insignificant
9 u( O7 s" `% `4 v But ultimately recognizing . J1 ^2 d5 R+ T2 ^* C5 T, }8 a
That who we are meant to be5 Z6 i* |, a0 T T+ r! l
Can never be measured in isolation: U) r* D2 _6 n$ I3 `
on a path into ourselves.
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, F8 S- l4 S1 m. w9 t8 _ It is true then:5 v0 `2 {! L; C, M
Our everlasting future
8 n" c6 w# z3 y- R8 T0 k/ }: p% { Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles! s2 c" `* R# P; P) p' A) Z% J
Into the pond of life
4 U" @- l; r) L Creating ripples
; a; }6 s# p H3 s& N that leave unique mark on our world
6 v+ H _6 x2 t; ?( Y1 `& W* g Not because of thoughts
7 i O( t1 B5 R* R/ r- d not because of well meaning plans& A* `# @: U4 ` W( {5 n% d
But because of actions.
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2 E7 Z: M" ?0 ]9 Z' W8 z- P Our life's prayers our answered s5 u0 Y U/ Y0 Y8 V3 S, A# Y4 o) }
Because even the smallest pebble
|3 G1 M$ |, |1 ]5 u7 R- \2 B) \ No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 o$ ]- N8 I" a2 n3 C% G6 t: k2 W Changes the course of the lives5 l( v4 s' i: ?" Y" S% i
Of those we touch.? ! M/ y/ h1 }6 j- x. u* s- _
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And when the icy winds of death: L1 G8 k- k0 M4 `
beckon our lasting attention, M5 C: N( X) u3 G7 l D2 C
We will gently leave this life
6 z/ w3 r6 c8 k! t) k With the knowledge that ! P4 h- b7 z/ ]9 E9 b( T& e' L1 X
because of that one pebble
$ { |& S1 Q$ } W+ A' S/ n* w The world will never be the same.+ _4 z. {8 F- c1 \7 n# E
+ M" }9 u3 n. h; d! O# q# U And then we have heaven …
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0 c) ~7 g6 x; A- Z w# @- b Ross Rosenberg
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