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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
" W* x3 N: C, @) [! d4 I" D The pebble is worn smooth 1 d% h- K( B6 M1 D
Made small over time5 p' E) @' d9 T- v
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature% p7 t# E R6 t; }
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
7 E9 c4 P: |( Z! Y An accidental offspring of a boulder
* H. m! b& P" p: C% E$ ? But just a very small stone. + b4 v) E2 S& b+ F0 Z1 ^5 A) P
! t5 u% l2 o% A P The pebble's place in our world " [( f5 D# N! A4 \: t
Is neither understood nor appreciated
: s4 U {8 t% q+ z- i1 C o But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' d5 |; s3 N8 X( T+ ^4 e/ K Its insignificance is transformed
8 L! z& D3 d' D Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.; I! P# C7 a& j, v
7 v. P+ q" S* _" [1 N; q, l The instant the pebble kisses the pond7 G- O0 D( O& R) G F4 S9 N
Its signature of concentric ripples
: D# W! F- x& w* _( `9 W Spiral outwards ) J" V3 I) {3 @; X C* T
Moving far beyond itself.5 C3 v1 c0 ^+ X) g2 ^
Gently affecting everything in its wake' k- `' V3 v( N- J
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning 7 ~. r) e7 X6 n: T
By unleashing its unimagined power?
6 L4 u9 m6 B: k% R; s Into a dueling force of action and reaction% P% X; Z. w6 L$ B
Creating karmic energy
4 u: W3 l' B& O, y4 T( g. i T+ L& R1 _( x Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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- D% E& r, L5 s* B4 z: U8 d6 y Aren't we all pebbles?- o" ?8 }$ r/ @+ f, z8 ^1 Q- _1 p
Feeling small and insignificant
/ m+ w( x# L) @& o/ z( y But ultimately recognizing m" x7 _8 R* [( Y
That who we are meant to be- Z; b- | R! _' X5 I
Can never be measured in isolation
% r5 s4 B1 q. N9 E on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
1 v% Q8 w8 ^% ? ?1 e) _ Our everlasting future & V* Q) C2 H a4 J4 J
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
$ E( y" K& N: `$ k8 i7 B) } Into the pond of life1 F5 I& z+ e0 w; o: X) }% Y
Creating ripples 2 V* `& l# C, W4 F2 Q
that leave unique mark on our world
% z' U3 \. f9 ]9 D4 @! h1 i$ S; x Not because of thoughts ' |1 {4 n& {7 z. p2 a, `
not because of well meaning plans ]; \( F6 r% U! b* C6 l
But because of actions. % k1 j( D* i+ G7 T7 g) S% \8 a
+ \8 Z- P* ]: ~* [# F3 g; Z8 d Our life's prayers our answered& _, \% m# w9 }! F3 M
Because even the smallest pebble + l% _8 h/ G. G0 W( [1 z
No matter how seemingly insignificant
# x+ E5 N4 N. g% ^1 ]9 o; n Changes the course of the lives: ]4 {& k/ W: [4 a( A$ V* Z9 q# c
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death6 r5 |( Z7 j+ `( T
beckon our lasting attention4 R7 S' f, |: ^) |- ? a
We will gently leave this life " l. y, C$ {- _( r4 T
With the knowledge that 0 ?9 h1 M2 y! h3 S1 p6 s" \" N
because of that one pebble $ \' g8 {. S3 P, |$ @6 c$ X
The world will never be the same., ^6 L% h# z# ]3 \+ G& q* y% ^
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And then we have heaven …- T/ ]+ S4 x6 ?. _8 X
2 V' j9 d' p( G3 g+ u1 V Ross Rosenberg
+ J- B3 F( ?, P 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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