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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. / E) S" D1 h( G
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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./ x0 R" r% A/ i
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Heaven* P& B) R1 f6 ~5 z) M
The pebble is worn smooth 8 T: I+ e5 F3 w2 U# t; _( T
Made small over time- p; f' i8 e; ]* K: }2 V
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature3 m9 ~* f# S2 `! ]$ O: _" i
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! i b+ ?* c W8 u- b, T4 L& M8 h An accidental offspring of a boulder
* x0 t+ q; I# H9 d3 M/ d3 Y$ V' r But just a very small stone.
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. Z7 |0 E0 H+ Y* P! J; l The pebble's place in our world , k) Y$ h1 d/ C1 G) X9 `
Is neither understood nor appreciated' `5 \" _4 x2 g1 I1 d" k
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond $ ]/ U7 j% r4 u$ c" a. S& Z+ V6 u
Its insignificance is transformed
0 Q: O4 p6 y% M% I6 ` Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
. |; F3 V# H4 s6 C Its signature of concentric ripples
7 Y9 G1 p9 I/ }+ p% W1 p Spiral outwards ' A6 c8 e+ o4 s2 m0 C" |
Moving far beyond itself.
[. B9 X n0 b9 P. ^- |% m4 e Gently affecting everything in its wake7 c7 m$ C* n* Z6 f: Z: H% E* v
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.- k/ Z) I+ ~. D' u [3 B- ~8 X8 P$ p/ ?
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
; C4 U2 v0 Q$ y! d9 ?7 t By unleashing its unimagined power? + |8 @8 [- V1 L7 p* \9 x* C
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
3 v7 }9 G# e& p% D. q" r Creating karmic energy
$ K3 X+ e4 O" Z7 j9 w: u Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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0 `9 o: ~4 k$ q0 r7 g Aren't we all pebbles?
- h& U$ h8 y) ?% C Feeling small and insignificant L/ X" m9 n& j& s
But ultimately recognizing / F8 g; F( v) p: y
That who we are meant to be/ L' w* B& W) I4 P7 ^8 P5 E
Can never be measured in isolation
# V( p- [9 {7 b% ~* _4 `, b on a path into ourselves.9 o: b$ c1 q" a- c7 \+ K
# M0 F" C, ]; H N; q It is true then:
* h4 q3 H4 s: M( | Our everlasting future
$ Y2 _5 I2 Z8 q2 j Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
. {( \! I- K) m$ v) b$ R Into the pond of life# y4 u* {, S1 B! c# {0 w
Creating ripples : a1 x% v/ t. w) s/ x
that leave unique mark on our world + @6 E0 ~, N1 ?! q
Not because of thoughts ( }! `; z; _1 j6 I8 |4 ^0 O( h
not because of well meaning plans. C9 }1 u: ?$ U
But because of actions. ! A$ s1 A( {0 c, B8 p
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Our life's prayers our answered$ t0 u D O0 Q- l
Because even the smallest pebble
( j9 W1 ?+ ]% M2 q3 ~" B No matter how seemingly insignificant5 ]0 l$ A( V) ]! b% N& [( N
Changes the course of the lives
* s9 d* n& U& K N+ s' W Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death+ S% ]( ~& x9 q* X$ g
beckon our lasting attention
; d: ^6 [' E1 P4 l4 @$ h We will gently leave this life & ^8 V% S/ z0 c3 @$ J: i
With the knowledge that 6 {( e$ I* u8 X( B/ U$ L! O9 }
because of that one pebble
% |2 @ Z* j# u' ^2 N The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …0 [ O/ c% z0 ^9 m4 d- n9 _
9 _% s+ j2 O ?& u Ross Rosenberg% D D, Y+ K% P' U
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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