 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
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.
( P a8 @9 g: {- a0 W2 o
5 N- x. i' q2 [# {( q8 Z8 a7 ]" j 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.% b7 E: P( E( Q/ Q; a H% q; b
* W' L' @9 U" x( T
Heaven. _7 N' w8 l" C* G3 V
The pebble is worn smooth
( X$ x/ F2 \4 J; S; Y2 Z Made small over time( c7 w- a2 G4 _0 c' l
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
9 r; [% D3 L2 o5 n& s2 O0 e$ n1 W A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
: j- \4 @$ b) D2 R9 q4 U An accidental offspring of a boulder ; L* f7 y% e2 h* F3 e6 z
But just a very small stone.
: @9 d$ q! C% q3 ~( Y/ T 8 y7 O9 Y* S1 B( Y0 A0 k
The pebble's place in our world 8 q$ c- R( N1 @7 ~; O+ g. x# U
Is neither understood nor appreciated
- N6 M" c3 I) ^5 l5 P [' i But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( W; `! k8 t/ Z8 u Its insignificance is transformed) d3 ]* g- c: d8 j6 H$ A+ f
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
& y5 q% u& h. h8 B" O; R2 w; X
' p& h& w* ^- ]! m The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# K9 m) j3 L% J5 ?* i8 W Its signature of concentric ripples
2 J- J: L/ o5 h9 A: c Spiral outwards
) F1 U+ w) Y0 q Moving far beyond itself.
( ^" V8 S8 C& j. T O; x- i Gently affecting everything in its wake0 L% ~! G0 i7 U+ v
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.& i: l6 j3 c% k6 q0 s( F1 p8 _
, Y# Z' \. h" r
The pebble creates its worth and meaning ( o+ V* ]7 U9 N0 F2 l: u: l
By unleashing its unimagined power? $ t2 }& E; D% E3 W4 B! F }
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
" ^2 V+ V% z: W+ N Creating karmic energy9 H R/ d. x$ F+ i
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
5 T, A9 X/ E# W5 c6 c7 }' f8 {6 _ ; `" y' ^: C! u5 v* b+ ]
Aren't we all pebbles?
$ E* ?6 e. e8 {2 g0 E( P& d Feeling small and insignificant" ?' ?$ d, _. ?4 M4 ^' K/ I0 m, |
But ultimately recognizing
" U' k) `6 Y: b7 P3 M% p That who we are meant to be
3 l; r1 l' r% q0 L5 K8 r Can never be measured in isolation
% n5 N- B/ Q0 V on a path into ourselves." r' k$ z. e4 \) u) p/ }; \5 i3 X
/ L: |, u* k- u7 Z# f$ K It is true then:
M, g* e9 o- S9 ?3 J2 @ Our everlasting future
) F& L4 r% p: r; w Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles% p1 A( R5 F7 Q7 _: C
Into the pond of life
5 W+ }! {* I" A1 i. y! g Creating ripples
" t$ r. [4 P* ^ H% [ that leave unique mark on our world
1 b H! F! Q$ j1 x+ L) y8 ?& _/ |& C Not because of thoughts 2 b6 B. U6 k3 N* X
not because of well meaning plans; ^1 X7 y% E; r0 y1 }
But because of actions.
/ ~. x v" [# ~0 j
' Z0 j3 s, r: d5 ^ Our life's prayers our answered- d$ j. Y% t, |7 I
Because even the smallest pebble 6 T/ v* \. L& ]4 X% @% K% R) L4 p
No matter how seemingly insignificant" r5 y5 d5 e1 [& @- h9 X" V
Changes the course of the lives
4 T1 z1 I: a8 Y G( F9 {/ q Of those we touch.? }" i/ s( x( ~/ _3 F0 P, {/ p9 V
3 o7 @+ j& E: e And when the icy winds of death( I1 D- e( \; g' I" m8 z
beckon our lasting attention
0 D/ N5 i) L8 A+ ]; k We will gently leave this life / W; T( K1 ]" K9 Z1 W
With the knowledge that 6 D3 n; ~+ {3 h9 f, l [
because of that one pebble
' ^- N- m' W" U9 ?$ Q1 E5 R The world will never be the same.
8 d( u' t. c' W6 h& n4 {
6 X V4 `& M7 ~7 P2 X And then we have heaven …
! E% `, j) u. @ \ 8 y0 u3 _/ S2 \) f& x
Ross Rosenberg
' l. W- d" F* l/ p- G 8/18/03 |
|