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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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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.1 f8 l; K( o- z
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Heaven
) P$ {, f; V% Y% W/ V E The pebble is worn smooth
2 |8 V" N5 s" U Made small over time; d$ T: O& K$ q7 R% k( X' g- B" t, @
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature0 q7 M9 {# U5 W- W
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
5 D% r6 I" _7 t/ [8 {. D* }1 E An accidental offspring of a boulder
/ ^7 @ ?5 t+ L$ P; _5 |; d0 Y6 y But just a very small stone. * H& _6 r9 ]6 |4 t0 d/ Y
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The pebble's place in our world
: T- C3 C$ w( E Z6 p Is neither understood nor appreciated
7 r: t$ O' y6 f* |! N) i But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
; }- Z! u! N1 Z: s6 D Its insignificance is transformed) T& r0 H) z4 `* |
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed. E% P2 ^3 r: W- v: p
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
. m) V5 q! o# \+ ?. C Its signature of concentric ripples
" Q/ u/ w* G- M$ _# Q Spiral outwards 0 M; ]5 h8 A! O
Moving far beyond itself.5 @" n Q4 c5 B4 v$ s6 c8 y! }1 B% z" k' P
Gently affecting everything in its wake
! j4 P- J4 p4 y3 p7 | Forever altering the smooth placid surface.8 z( t8 L. a- p3 b
9 N) t% `5 t) q# ` The pebble creates its worth and meaning
, f" Z" i/ |9 E/ _; C By unleashing its unimagined power?
! n- L8 W! m6 w Into a dueling force of action and reaction) }4 A9 z+ g1 B; Z# v: h
Creating karmic energy
: v, I$ x7 S) T+ A Producing lasting and fluid impressions.6 s# @) z# J4 A0 f
. R9 \6 }% ]) y! p: r6 g0 ^" d Aren't we all pebbles?
2 b. G, Q$ n0 _- l% ~ Feeling small and insignificant
& [% g+ Y) v3 S6 i: i But ultimately recognizing
" f! N# L3 G. k% \5 m That who we are meant to be
3 k5 t1 x# A- D! ?2 P Can never be measured in isolation
$ a# o' v1 i: l* U P0 i on a path into ourselves.8 \) i" S2 v+ D' x; K% f7 [" j
+ T. [) q A7 K) W# g/ U5 i It is true then:
0 p' [ {! B, z& a! c6 q+ _ Our everlasting future * D0 C+ R$ V7 c
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
( ^5 W B% j- k. g7 J b; X Into the pond of life p+ P, a/ D h
Creating ripples 6 K4 u5 S& G2 f+ _
that leave unique mark on our world 7 U7 f& C' v& ~9 n: I
Not because of thoughts
- F' q; E7 @* D4 z2 \ not because of well meaning plans2 h1 f9 P0 T7 f" I' V% y
But because of actions. 6 \0 s9 A9 I7 ~ H4 V2 T; h7 h
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Our life's prayers our answered
1 V* U$ ^# Z0 u# h; E+ ^ Because even the smallest pebble
2 f$ ]& f5 \$ [: M q No matter how seemingly insignificant. d9 d: ]& Q. j1 ^* ?* F
Changes the course of the lives) e, _3 `7 k; m4 s! y, t7 Q
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death7 Z" q2 p( k" H. I
beckon our lasting attention8 ?% f L3 r/ O3 y8 P5 U3 |% F0 X
We will gently leave this life $ a* g* U; \. x6 j, Q
With the knowledge that
# E/ O9 E8 X9 F because of that one pebble 0 r8 T9 |/ T) M6 O4 S3 S' Z
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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1 s C1 ~" J& Q- U" ? Ross Rosenberg' @0 P8 Q. X' }3 x( Y
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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