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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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, ]3 y, a$ W) \6 ?% R, ~( t$ y 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.+ U9 V- C4 T$ S* G& j8 g9 y
3 v6 l* H5 x& y7 {, v, H Heaven
# I# |1 r. @9 C- ~/ J The pebble is worn smooth
7 l' [9 B, o8 E ` H Made small over time1 y6 V5 b* ~/ E. i( o! A! A$ c
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature8 k+ l8 Z- {7 k; I
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
8 C% k5 l# }2 e. a3 n An accidental offspring of a boulder
8 I( B2 G& l+ Z/ m0 f1 r But just a very small stone. : q6 O7 H# \2 s5 v
3 ~* b2 \/ }3 W9 a The pebble's place in our world & ?: U; A0 Q& s4 f( D( Q
Is neither understood nor appreciated
+ f% z3 W, h, ]8 q' v) h But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 0 }3 P3 v% K4 p" l
Its insignificance is transformed, O/ ~ O0 q( E% |& ~( W0 A
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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* m7 M; n0 _, ? U5 Y The instant the pebble kisses the pond
% a8 p2 |- J2 G$ y' F" d0 G- P Its signature of concentric ripples 5 G; Z5 {( P2 Y5 u# U# `0 b
Spiral outwards * \( C4 U0 ~: m- v9 G/ w
Moving far beyond itself. x4 Q; o8 C+ Z3 C' z0 e% Z h
Gently affecting everything in its wake
( ^' s4 x0 y+ P% A% R9 u' p Forever altering the smooth placid surface.) Y' U v; W5 }1 |
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning , m9 s4 S: T8 S* j
By unleashing its unimagined power?
" O# R ]$ p: j k8 k Into a dueling force of action and reaction3 ^/ p/ L" h' ^9 P8 X4 o
Creating karmic energy
' X, \! z9 }+ J9 y8 r/ A Producing lasting and fluid impressions., v" }' G, W, J2 c/ H |
( e& A/ s* U: A5 t/ w$ G: |" y Aren't we all pebbles?
& j1 }+ {+ S9 N; {( C% y Feeling small and insignificant; ]" M- w, \+ a
But ultimately recognizing + v2 r: R1 m& j5 ~3 T4 O
That who we are meant to be
8 }- f! b9 M( Y7 ^; m Can never be measured in isolation: `5 y+ [" T2 @
on a path into ourselves.5 q) c3 c7 b) t0 V1 }& z2 A4 _
# Q. g( f( B9 i0 n% l It is true then:2 j5 \6 N6 }$ P6 j
Our everlasting future ) J) ~4 I4 t; e$ r
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
/ s* t3 T$ |1 _% v8 K& ? Into the pond of life
6 S* r. F6 ]' {0 } Creating ripples
" e5 g! [. u5 r5 P- R that leave unique mark on our world
, \( a% A' S, S) J& [& ~* e Not because of thoughts ) ^, _: L' X6 u$ \/ r
not because of well meaning plans
: x( A" d" C9 p6 V8 | But because of actions.
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2 ?, `+ @6 a3 ]- K- ^ Our life's prayers our answered
/ h9 c+ ?9 N" n( d Because even the smallest pebble 7 a) a c1 t8 l% e& c* v
No matter how seemingly insignificant4 L' I; ` P( p# J% ~. v; e
Changes the course of the lives
- A0 k' e) s' U/ y6 F" l0 I Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
# G, N/ A' A0 S" R$ b& Z! m% K beckon our lasting attention
, R5 J H: v( |9 r We will gently leave this life 1 h1 V/ `$ ^) Y; k# r
With the knowledge that
# _7 V0 N) n: n because of that one pebble
3 ^$ e* Q$ ` \' o) [ The world will never be the same.+ \% X# w; j; D3 l6 U' X! N
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And then we have heaven …
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: x, Y0 F/ I" g l0 s Ross Rosenberg
, n0 C+ D% O, y4 J7 E( ` 8/18/03 |
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