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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. - {7 P+ W% @' Y$ P8 H) `& B
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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.9 b, u. A, r* Q6 k% b v: Y9 Q! E
9 W$ S& v5 w4 S2 E' M: e* N$ _ Heaven
# g3 }( u) }2 [* R$ u The pebble is worn smooth
# k8 E+ Q9 A: K( ~) d Made small over time
D/ t7 m. b; j0 E4 }# |6 ] A product of a cataclysmic force of nature) ^- r, b* K$ A9 M& F# U/ E' [
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
: u2 E( r7 i' b An accidental offspring of a boulder
8 w [7 V/ l& d( t7 y6 [5 N But just a very small stone. / W3 T6 c# R; R& Q2 O
Z% L8 E. O. K1 |. E2 Z0 E y' i The pebble's place in our world
" q9 @8 G L5 }; t) h. O/ l Is neither understood nor appreciated: i" Q* x6 \) s9 G$ U
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
2 p! z% |: Q# q( d1 Y Its insignificance is transformed4 M/ }$ |0 Y- q& \8 ?% E6 Z7 h+ J
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.: i+ X8 t/ Q0 j$ Q5 ]
7 n, s/ I0 n: ^# j( o4 t2 _5 n The instant the pebble kisses the pond$ b% u" M. D* t3 _# U5 Z
Its signature of concentric ripples " L$ e" \. W" o F/ ?) b) Y2 f
Spiral outwards
; K2 ?' @" G* t# r, B Moving far beyond itself.
% m4 I5 i0 G. E6 B: r Gently affecting everything in its wake
% ~' O2 \0 ?) ^2 f. j* ?3 W4 u Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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' @/ A& F3 g3 r1 @# d$ a( { The pebble creates its worth and meaning
: X. I! V$ y# n+ |5 V, _ c( } By unleashing its unimagined power? * Y: u) ~, \- z* u
Into a dueling force of action and reaction K- i2 e4 `3 P4 n( C( q
Creating karmic energy$ R0 m* y& A0 c& K7 r4 Q
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
3 u6 a1 l8 m: r, u2 i! _/ k5 \ Feeling small and insignificant
+ D' y ?' ~4 e+ F' m/ q But ultimately recognizing ; B( k+ {5 f# A! Q% K& R( R
That who we are meant to be
, [6 K ~( O% q) D! d* I8 u Can never be measured in isolation
: @0 x8 a4 ?& f6 T0 \ on a path into ourselves./ [* \4 r: |) c8 L
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It is true then:
8 j- }8 p' O2 B/ o- | Our everlasting future ' g: ~4 @4 f# {' C* e* {1 B8 {
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles* @) N1 e% T, ^7 G! t
Into the pond of life3 w7 R1 Q W2 I: L$ ?. d0 U
Creating ripples 7 r& C. t5 w7 E! O( Z" {
that leave unique mark on our world 5 G% J% j- Y* ?2 ]3 Z( m# ^4 C
Not because of thoughts 9 n i+ A @( U( ?' \0 ?- k
not because of well meaning plans1 W8 ?# ]' w+ g1 v* L `+ O
But because of actions. # H+ x8 s* V0 O R. D8 r" F$ h
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Our life's prayers our answered/ r0 p' f s, z+ M: m
Because even the smallest pebble
3 O% \+ i# h8 m9 k3 d# `+ K8 w No matter how seemingly insignificant
% ]! c2 i) Y6 J4 C Changes the course of the lives
* y7 @2 P; L$ u2 y( k* ?9 A Of those we touch.? - q( z' \0 c* h/ n
6 e+ X P& Z ]8 I( H And when the icy winds of death
$ N/ @) F5 A0 L; ^8 n" V beckon our lasting attention
' o% {$ f$ C* A- c5 V We will gently leave this life
1 Y: ^! H1 }& X4 p With the knowledge that 0 l0 @2 w+ u0 [! h" K
because of that one pebble
0 C, o3 _7 t- n1 ~ The world will never be the same. ^ K, r' h% l- P4 h( D5 U" B
% b5 J0 _* E* y8 l' z And then we have heaven …
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! @" z R2 Y# l6 ?! ?9 A, G" r Ross Rosenberg r, g5 O5 S0 F9 [8 `" K3 o0 I
8/18/03 |
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