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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. 6 |# }3 ~9 }3 \/ l
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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.$ U4 z* V0 t: P+ g3 {" E1 p! ?9 ]5 f
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Heaven& Y- x/ H0 }% _; j, c ^/ Q
The pebble is worn smooth
& C4 A3 B: a( Y, j4 z) r Made small over time. k8 q4 j# {- N* G G# k
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature2 [3 I. s3 F7 d4 {* G
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
8 K- L+ t6 D$ J0 M& W7 j) ~ An accidental offspring of a boulder / n) }* |" A" t! z
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world / \. @" ?# `1 t' U4 w1 ^
Is neither understood nor appreciated
( P6 U9 z- E, M3 v1 B% y9 o But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
7 g+ m$ Q) I o+ |/ e: A Its insignificance is transformed
! k7 c. L% a6 s8 t5 B+ L& s" ` c Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond% W5 c7 v2 Y/ l4 ?8 ` T
Its signature of concentric ripples ! n+ o9 P I. H
Spiral outwards
* u% c9 E, }( X+ u% s Moving far beyond itself.
; T' X/ [$ x; ?0 R' y8 [ Gently affecting everything in its wake
' z1 s, K9 C$ {2 H& |* } Forever altering the smooth placid surface.; }- m9 o% z' t
) B$ E W) F1 k The pebble creates its worth and meaning
$ _- m2 ^ {0 F By unleashing its unimagined power? , F. E( q" g. F6 f9 c' L
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
6 B* p' q' Y: g; V: R Creating karmic energy
2 @0 G* V1 h. h# ^" f$ z7 B, {) p Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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S e2 Z) N7 q! o& m Aren't we all pebbles?
- e$ q% O7 O8 u' o- c. ~0 T Feeling small and insignificant: l* u K$ q1 {9 \/ _( m
But ultimately recognizing 0 s* C4 Y; L( U9 j( U
That who we are meant to be3 w, V* M" F2 F. r
Can never be measured in isolation
6 y# a3 }2 X3 p/ Y on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
- z- w9 r- n( b0 N5 B- ` Our everlasting future
" T$ {( u3 v; c0 G" l Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles7 U; j! S0 u0 Q/ y/ |
Into the pond of life$ E' N6 R8 y% }: m% _$ H) Y4 Q j
Creating ripples
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. A2 ^3 |& }' H% F$ O Not because of thoughts
2 x' |. y- _; f- P5 \ not because of well meaning plans% T5 ^* f" o2 C5 ^! o; J( B' a* u
But because of actions.
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0 x( W8 l7 ^1 W8 i8 {. S# q Our life's prayers our answered
" a9 |; p* c. Q5 O Because even the smallest pebble
0 V2 f+ C! Z1 s" P" X No matter how seemingly insignificant) x! I4 j8 a5 E+ R1 x
Changes the course of the lives
) {! ~3 U; V2 H' z Of those we touch.? ( h' R" w9 R5 m8 u! C2 I
( J" R. s8 A3 ?- h) O9 X& x And when the icy winds of death8 ~/ c& D+ f9 q9 @6 v
beckon our lasting attention
" S5 n5 k- ^. Z1 |- c We will gently leave this life
5 e W' C2 W$ X( E/ c With the knowledge that 3 U4 D& u* D* p0 x8 a) M
because of that one pebble 5 _4 p/ I: |: Y" Z; @- E5 g% @* J% ]
The world will never be the same.3 G& G* E1 X$ ?5 n0 {2 V& r
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And then we have heaven …& h; ?$ I4 ~4 ^# _# V* S; x
. B2 }" o( M0 f+ d3 U2 M Ross Rosenberg
1 Y2 z& {) h ^ 8/18/03 |
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