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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. # h! v0 J0 C3 V, J! L5 a/ k" [5 Z) C
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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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Heaven
9 V/ w0 S( O2 y The pebble is worn smooth
- } Z0 v0 G& r Made small over time2 z6 K. L$ B, t, k; T
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
& Y5 t5 r0 I+ ] A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock( K5 ]* U$ E1 h; {# w5 J
An accidental offspring of a boulder
) J: ~ s1 F6 C ?4 K Q But just a very small stone.
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; u8 V" n/ U0 m$ G, q n The pebble's place in our world
: [* ]' j+ I6 H1 k' A! `& f Is neither understood nor appreciated4 W+ V9 F7 ?9 |7 C( {* c
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 1 d% j8 W# K2 N, I: \
Its insignificance is transformed
- y% ]3 A ?" O1 d" G Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.: B! B4 k" j0 t
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
! w3 [) P3 D. c. c; O3 [ Its signature of concentric ripples 6 L/ R' D# ]# E" Z' p5 ]- c( s1 Z J
Spiral outwards
0 b/ {# k$ z; M- Y# G0 j Moving far beyond itself.
2 Y' N2 |" k2 q; h, D Gently affecting everything in its wake
- ?5 ]4 E, A$ K& l& H Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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+ W1 A& U. H1 C+ e6 c0 p( W2 H The pebble creates its worth and meaning : R: P# W- ?0 s. Y C
By unleashing its unimagined power? ( S+ P, Q9 b9 h3 p, y& V8 ^9 u/ x! @
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
[! J# P! o3 W" T' K i H, {$ s, d Creating karmic energy
+ {+ f! @7 t( a2 `1 p" h, {, u s0 a$ J Producing lasting and fluid impressions./ `; [6 b; T! \& `% M' t2 M+ J
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Aren't we all pebbles?/ U. {% P% R3 e. J# _2 B
Feeling small and insignificant
; ^; l: D) @. m+ m W! i But ultimately recognizing ! H0 w. H! \( @+ I8 R/ h
That who we are meant to be- w1 `8 C' h# Q: H' [3 ^& Y
Can never be measured in isolation
- i! {. g& r6 p on a path into ourselves.! V& ~0 |: q' D1 a% _3 @
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It is true then:
5 o6 L# h6 ^7 K) K2 ^* O! l* M, L Our everlasting future
0 ^% _: h: Z( @- k; N Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
, U( q! N k/ d! z: _+ R) O ] Into the pond of life9 a) n6 d) q* w& ~( c5 `9 T% J
Creating ripples
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Not because of thoughts , e6 a W/ ^+ H4 H# I" y0 u- E
not because of well meaning plans/ l! y) u1 o, b% {1 N2 b
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
: ^) j9 ], k% O E9 b Because even the smallest pebble
, l, M6 G+ u3 [# \ D: ~9 ^ No matter how seemingly insignificant& y! Y& n- x. v8 s2 c
Changes the course of the lives
3 O5 g6 d" W% H Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
3 h; S+ C# Y: R, n7 Y9 ` beckon our lasting attention( L# H$ m- c$ v$ c
We will gently leave this life + S5 L; I) G9 v Z$ B
With the knowledge that
' M: j0 A% ~! {0 A! \+ u( B3 g because of that one pebble
8 K, `0 g) z' B q# E! d4 R c The world will never be the same.9 F; @$ O$ v% c4 a- ~
1 ^3 i% Y$ E) O( r; q. J And then we have heaven …
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$ i2 a+ X6 }1 c3 ^$ n$ ~/ H! a Ross Rosenberg
% o+ p; C7 `; J2 V/ g 8/18/03 |
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