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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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5 ]' S) ^5 E% e+ P% ? 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.
* w- G4 c& J7 f4 h) n0 A, |" e - E0 Y$ O- V( ]
Heaven2 s7 T& b: J2 R+ i; J ~7 q2 v; x
The pebble is worn smooth + F/ y' A% w( ]- ]
Made small over time9 C- @; ~% ?3 E% p6 ^) f9 }5 O: q
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
$ \7 h. V/ O+ [6 o A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock6 n+ y4 W0 r9 W; K, j8 |
An accidental offspring of a boulder
4 Z/ F4 L4 e0 H4 L But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world 1 M8 ?, f' a- _
Is neither understood nor appreciated) a. [, ?# y0 {
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 1 n/ f' L Z- h
Its insignificance is transformed) d; q& z' W+ d5 f: e( v- ]
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
: @+ N' T3 D f ; G/ \; V' f) m
The instant the pebble kisses the pond# r' r/ _* a) \1 }, q: ?! z' p
Its signature of concentric ripples " L/ j7 O- Z3 A% k4 t# m
Spiral outwards # S$ G5 A6 t3 J6 ~! h
Moving far beyond itself.
, G+ H" O( u( L Gently affecting everything in its wake
) w4 S. f8 C" N A' | Forever altering the smooth placid surface.: e) X8 E) o3 s; m4 V% p
, B \! Z( e1 D( i. U, M
The pebble creates its worth and meaning ) {+ l, f& ^$ Z W) f
By unleashing its unimagined power?
b) n- ]# E& ]/ `$ R Into a dueling force of action and reaction: t9 k: F: h( z; G8 R! B2 c" a+ ^
Creating karmic energy, c2 Q2 n$ c7 `1 ]6 r9 k$ v& ^9 ]4 o8 n
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.. e7 v: L7 M" j6 ?' ~. ^
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Aren't we all pebbles?6 b( F ^' a% _# d( Z
Feeling small and insignificant! s9 U6 J/ R0 W/ c& Y$ X+ ~0 y
But ultimately recognizing & m H5 p# K. x5 p a* k
That who we are meant to be0 Z1 @7 d9 V2 N% Q; w" u/ K7 V, [
Can never be measured in isolation" _3 W3 q8 h8 Q' W# _
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:/ p9 z; [- X2 M0 K7 i, O6 F* Z% p) C
Our everlasting future / q8 l, o8 T4 z
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles4 |" E; Q) M; Y& A
Into the pond of life
$ U, X+ B. L* V( U+ T+ F- n( ^ Creating ripples
; `* I% B) p% d+ I i that leave unique mark on our world
/ g3 G5 H3 ]/ G Not because of thoughts $ M. G( x6 Q9 i5 s" G5 N' o
not because of well meaning plans
9 r( b+ N" }( @3 P* f+ n But because of actions. & s4 T3 N6 r1 d" N) K
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Our life's prayers our answered
3 i- l: Q5 V" f Because even the smallest pebble 8 V9 r9 V% \ T7 |6 a
No matter how seemingly insignificant! B4 K/ i7 m5 Y3 O. @6 i
Changes the course of the lives
6 ~6 s3 m: W# r Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death$ Y4 u Q# }/ A4 B+ C
beckon our lasting attention
: ~; z( X$ O$ W0 P We will gently leave this life : c8 S5 o7 n- G8 o8 M" U
With the knowledge that 7 M0 q# \+ N+ t' l$ ?% L
because of that one pebble ) X* j3 Q* Z- ~7 }4 V/ g: y% t
The world will never be the same.7 O" y1 j A, \
, W ~1 Q. U) ]6 |$ O& X2 O And then we have heaven …0 I% z. [* J( X
7 K' C6 R+ g/ B2 h! ^3 W" ]9 @
Ross Rosenberg
- `8 K) ?3 g/ e 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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