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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., j6 |3 U! W$ n9 T' V
2 Q/ a3 S8 r4 L Heaven7 Q6 @, Y( m7 C |
The pebble is worn smooth 4 ^9 n, B& ]2 C+ [6 j% z8 V: U
Made small over time
* v8 Q6 C: i# ?" r" @ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
) r2 J( Z1 p( J. E; g( P A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock: \, o7 b* ?/ K( m
An accidental offspring of a boulder , B E0 w' L8 f
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world ! d/ H: C; W5 {9 M- F& ~
Is neither understood nor appreciated
- m2 v1 S7 o# j1 t But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
0 }$ ~/ ?; @- @ Its insignificance is transformed
3 R+ ^3 t3 }" w/ r; m5 c Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
; R2 F) w5 m/ o) y/ P Its signature of concentric ripples
* Q# G" C1 q0 P Spiral outwards
3 C8 C8 n" b- F9 z- I5 |4 R$ C% O5 L Moving far beyond itself.! J/ X3 H: |! ?: H
Gently affecting everything in its wake
# K2 }5 _2 Y& C [6 _ Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning ) A* j$ Y6 [+ y
By unleashing its unimagined power? $ s% q1 D& L$ {5 d C d2 V+ M
Into a dueling force of action and reaction( d" M& d2 l) E% L( k
Creating karmic energy5 R& h$ E/ b$ Y7 Z5 J
Producing lasting and fluid impressions." u8 |5 e+ @% }& D3 M8 p* H2 P7 M: R
/ k9 R+ {( V/ }; c) e Aren't we all pebbles?; B% j4 F" V' ~* F$ _; P
Feeling small and insignificant
; n! v% p4 y; o3 n3 S# t% { But ultimately recognizing
- f6 }+ M7 M! [6 W2 l3 w That who we are meant to be
( X! J3 Z% J j7 L0 @ Can never be measured in isolation) m$ O( v' I1 D% A' T$ S2 N
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:) r" u# [1 Y5 \) S
Our everlasting future
; m% i) z$ {3 L* u0 f! m, y# j Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles) [3 `4 r6 V7 J$ [9 _
Into the pond of life Y6 U! ^% B, f4 l) b O
Creating ripples
" F0 _( M9 m2 l, t6 C; K that leave unique mark on our world 6 R! ~' q* Y& h- M: G
Not because of thoughts + g/ t& b. S0 }* m, r( |
not because of well meaning plans7 ]' G8 s2 f t+ h( x$ K
But because of actions. " y0 ]7 U1 ^* H$ T
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Our life's prayers our answered
. A- o0 W6 Z7 h" j Because even the smallest pebble 1 p, y: w, W: n& o X" Z( R) X
No matter how seemingly insignificant
9 y4 T7 h6 `/ ?' r+ Z Changes the course of the lives1 A- }1 C8 f# f8 C. e& V& P, q
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
1 l: k: `+ ~4 K" ^& }! ~ beckon our lasting attention
% W0 l! `8 n* J& {' D- f' z We will gently leave this life
1 D" U+ |3 E( K7 Q With the knowledge that
$ a/ F, V5 `! n2 ` because of that one pebble
4 `2 F$ e0 N& [ The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …5 M- M/ V6 Y7 N+ V4 @
/ t) n, b! {& x/ m Ross Rosenberg5 D6 Y7 E4 j5 o
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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