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Heaven

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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36 | 显示全部楼层 |阅读模式
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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. 9 l9 c% o* R5 j5 Q0 Y4 Y
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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." \; G: p2 x' I' m: }# i
8 I% @  T( [3 S: e, Z1 b! c( O9 `
Heaven/ ]  w  j* Z' s
The pebble is worn smooth 6 ], Y* D! a/ s( A8 p1 L) _
Made small over time
9 b9 }4 I+ _  `9 R7 U4 D/ [ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature4 I2 `2 B9 l. \2 B3 r& o# F  k
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
5 V7 F7 I7 W- {0 @1 ~% M An accidental offspring of a boulder % Q9 V  C  [6 I1 a* K
But just a very small stone. : X: x7 l% W8 W) I" Y
- k1 a/ g; m6 M7 o$ E- l# p$ n
The pebble's place in our world
. n& ~, @, H7 m* h- [ Is neither understood nor appreciated
  p6 }6 J% E" L4 M8 ?  S2 l But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
0 G! P9 V9 A+ R, h- V  J+ ` Its insignificance is transformed
1 i4 U  l6 t, x8 k+ _8 \ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
9 [5 g# [; v, C- t7 y  P# N) L+ j
  S- R- n+ {: ^% B6 H6 { The instant the pebble kisses the pond
+ `& b4 }  e4 t& B, J* w: f Its signature of concentric ripples
/ {5 O# Z  Y2 J: g  D$ V1 v) W# ~ Spiral outwards . h4 ^! c" v2 I5 e8 M- ^
Moving far beyond itself.
* e, _1 T; o) Q: r2 } Gently affecting everything in its wake; m, `0 `8 P5 D$ P
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
, ~$ z- I" g$ n, T: K# h! X 5 u. I8 }2 w& R8 x" x5 F
The pebble creates its worth and meaning / ^6 q2 H+ d  Z/ w5 s; d) W
By unleashing its unimagined power?
  c4 V' b  S  q0 @  S Into a dueling force of action and reaction3 O9 W; f2 w2 E, v3 ~; n1 B
Creating karmic energy7 D( h+ H4 P1 |( @
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
4 w' B/ |$ J6 j0 v5 L" {9 F: \+ x # ]. \8 R5 O' z
Aren't we all pebbles?8 Z* r0 K+ Q( _! ]1 M
Feeling small and insignificant4 o7 G" g& @; l- ?8 ~
But ultimately recognizing
7 f) L. ]! Q; h: j2 s+ G6 y That who we are meant to be
# u' c* F% q& D2 }& q Can never be measured in isolation/ j) O$ w8 D$ ~, F! i& T* G9 b
on a path into ourselves., G* @. a3 d/ B, p/ H- }

  r: Z/ e9 @% c& ]9 r It is true then:
$ D+ A& E5 ]+ t9 A+ f% l Our everlasting future ! c9 b1 s8 }, L
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
1 t. D$ g5 `2 A7 @0 y$ b& h; T Into the pond of life
$ c9 R4 M4 X# ^' Y) |# I4 H Creating ripples " L& o$ n7 n9 m9 f* _- a
that leave unique mark on our world . O% p( r/ _; s* {; O
Not because of thoughts
  \4 p/ }' K: Y7 O not because of well meaning plans
3 S) D3 f- K& M% l But because of actions. ; H1 u/ l4 @! H  g* E' t+ _( v5 t' h

# X+ l4 @& ]& q' O7 W0 r Our life's prayers our answered
( ^1 U& Z" y: f( G, e5 _( O Because even the smallest pebble 7 _7 L+ F! ~* l! r- S( _$ Q% a
No matter how seemingly insignificant: ?  x3 S8 \. V
Changes the course of the lives+ W+ z9 x: _. D. [
Of those we touch.?
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* T& L# J( y7 e, Z" l: o: W; @ And when the icy winds of death( F7 B+ c+ _/ O6 k8 {9 x* V- D# f
beckon our lasting attention; u* g6 c8 _0 E6 {
We will gently leave this life
) N: v, f4 |0 b/ ~0 w, Q With the knowledge that
# |( U. c% S3 w- R+ o because of that one pebble 0 B% X+ E1 O, `: d
The world will never be the same.
+ A0 P+ X+ Q7 b& s( _7 Y* |
1 x# E# Q; V# a And then we have heaven …( @3 ?! |/ J) A
8 Z0 I" h/ M- D% h* b0 ~7 m
Ross Rosenberg7 z" Z* |$ y  E" f
8/18/03
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