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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. 0 W' ^6 Q4 d2 C: S& |
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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.: o- w U$ B7 r. u7 l
3 P6 V$ Y& G2 E# x: X& _8 f I Heaven
0 r# P+ s; x! s, I4 L, A# X/ C) U" f( v The pebble is worn smooth
% d, {/ V, K7 \5 `1 \8 e1 S Made small over time
* ]7 w$ Z4 o) M A product of a cataclysmic force of nature @- ?( |- e, u2 n0 }, T
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock- O0 j$ t- l% T% J8 d) u' d8 U
An accidental offspring of a boulder 4 M8 _% [. m4 W( N4 U/ ~) }
But just a very small stone.
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% ?; A2 }2 e# \' O) ]( F/ j The pebble's place in our world 9 m3 `# l: ~; W3 A' B* m( m
Is neither understood nor appreciated+ J6 X! b6 |. j# c
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 7 V, y; U- i; m1 v* `" r8 T
Its insignificance is transformed" | `7 a0 t& `5 y+ I3 g; r6 u/ g$ K
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond8 s9 x2 L- v' G3 y T+ F
Its signature of concentric ripples . A3 h6 l& T0 r+ J
Spiral outwards 3 H. X" A- |" I* X& S6 h5 b
Moving far beyond itself.
6 S4 G+ U, |+ o" V Gently affecting everything in its wake4 V f; _! f2 _, S7 H0 j- Q3 u
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.& ~& a6 E* l1 W
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
0 i. s. a. I1 s$ S Q By unleashing its unimagined power?
* W+ G1 ?0 I9 g Into a dueling force of action and reaction: }. y$ k9 S& a% [8 w# Y' _! A
Creating karmic energy8 T0 K ~* i. p) {1 I) D
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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% C6 r' r% J6 B# Q Aren't we all pebbles?
7 W' ]4 U' s8 t: ]! l Feeling small and insignificant1 l! i4 v6 E1 J f
But ultimately recognizing
1 L1 Q' _$ m5 M That who we are meant to be; ~( L) U0 x6 ?4 w
Can never be measured in isolation- m. a5 L# U5 H0 O
on a path into ourselves.
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2 M1 l6 Z/ \4 a3 Y* o$ h It is true then:6 M' \, F1 Z# K5 d
Our everlasting future % K5 G1 r$ B0 A T2 R4 R. T
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles2 _( W* s) J# c& U) k& P0 X9 P
Into the pond of life
1 V3 x7 t" C! J; V: m Creating ripples ) n$ W/ h& v% @, G6 m9 z) Q( Y
that leave unique mark on our world
: W* G0 W+ w0 h! r6 B Not because of thoughts 3 l) T5 d7 r9 ^( J( Y' ?
not because of well meaning plans
( K* n" q/ W* C% E) E But because of actions. % S1 W* I3 x2 K3 I( Z5 P& N4 _
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Our life's prayers our answered
/ v$ d# ~0 Q' G" k9 e Because even the smallest pebble . ~* q, O; M6 ?, Z$ ?+ {
No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 @7 Z1 B' c- U2 q; K) X Changes the course of the lives
9 E+ Y* z- D9 P5 _7 ?% |+ q: ~ Of those we touch.? 8 ?3 H5 Y2 o* C" K- `7 X( C2 B& |
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And when the icy winds of death
) p! w# k1 d0 c7 \5 H7 y beckon our lasting attention
1 K- E4 p S* o" D. G8 O6 Y We will gently leave this life
) z4 K6 `* O0 T _* [0 e; z% t With the knowledge that
$ p3 d( Z; |* v ? because of that one pebble & ~/ D' v/ b/ k" O$ T O
The world will never be the same.: O, g# _2 m% \9 w8 j
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And then we have heaven …/ P! r; z; i8 v1 c
4 M1 x c) ?# Q. i! } Ross Rosenberg
7 t& F6 m, ^) j1 B( A 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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