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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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Heaven
6 Q9 u C J! p0 Z2 }# x The pebble is worn smooth ! ~& T) r/ M9 L; _3 ~6 O7 ]0 N
Made small over time% D6 W4 S. g+ T
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
/ z7 G; n, i+ F/ O7 m8 G4 e7 i! _ A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock1 M4 @" h- e! {" y0 Z
An accidental offspring of a boulder - t9 a( C0 X6 v+ F* a! T0 B
But just a very small stone.
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: U6 s+ {, n5 S0 A7 D" y8 t The pebble's place in our world
% K( Z6 r$ P2 \9 L6 u5 B# t/ w Is neither understood nor appreciated" m2 }3 T& V7 Q2 G
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
+ O+ K& F: a2 T Its insignificance is transformed
! m- b$ ]9 V9 ]- m, i Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond& |( d. h$ R2 H
Its signature of concentric ripples ( N5 u5 c1 ~ h
Spiral outwards
* y+ B/ S* G' e5 Y Moving far beyond itself.
4 X+ Q- M& V& O4 r5 y Gently affecting everything in its wake: C) b. K+ T9 G4 f# \- ~
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning , r# t _6 w; u$ ?8 u7 b% ]
By unleashing its unimagined power? / p7 a4 \5 k4 S/ ~- h2 q9 X
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
# Q) {, O' S6 L- s5 N Creating karmic energy6 Q: t- a& p5 L2 f
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.! ]; j: j5 i2 c d4 R7 m) x
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Aren't we all pebbles?
. l7 ~$ Q, q3 \# S3 M& h Feeling small and insignificant
6 R% M5 }- w. q/ s But ultimately recognizing
% j- r9 D& Z% _2 h7 r' P% j/ i That who we are meant to be3 g" G7 ?4 W! l
Can never be measured in isolation$ n! O; P! v# Z: h- W( O9 V
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
0 C/ b/ M2 H a7 v) N" P7 Q0 o" L Our everlasting future
; Y3 ]7 |1 |0 Q4 m! e Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' n7 @3 }; s$ \. X Into the pond of life2 v$ a: f4 b" d. ^+ b' T# x
Creating ripples
" e |: d4 O; s that leave unique mark on our world : j5 `, _( P' a) @" K
Not because of thoughts
. {8 G2 j, d( x; g l$ L not because of well meaning plans
9 M) e) m$ w/ ?- h. D. K( m/ M! b But because of actions. $ a1 ?# c; W4 A& M" `; ], o$ u
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Our life's prayers our answered2 i+ u+ ^1 h- ?7 c. ^
Because even the smallest pebble : ?6 y0 O- ]1 C6 k2 r J
No matter how seemingly insignificant
& Z7 v$ r' u$ c% L( T Changes the course of the lives$ ?$ ~& \! E6 B$ y
Of those we touch.? 0 x# E; E/ |) v% k5 B4 P
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And when the icy winds of death1 k5 y+ c: V& K) N# g2 ~
beckon our lasting attention
7 M- a. l% X( M$ W9 f8 V* t We will gently leave this life 1 n4 b. x; w; t8 A- u
With the knowledge that ) ~. R) D8 W& l( e" k
because of that one pebble
( U- ?% U% c* Q The world will never be the same.: [: p: V1 G4 p$ e4 J
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And then we have heaven …! X1 P! I5 `# q$ J( b4 y( ^
/ e. S; p- U, w! D% @9 q: e v Ross Rosenberg
9 U7 v: T. [2 _& _7 H 8/18/03 |
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