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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. : Z1 d0 h% _2 B
1 W! R# u- c- f- Y 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.
/ c: T' Z2 M, V
$ x/ m, \. U8 Q0 K( { Heaven
: I* r4 t9 {" M$ u- p( D1 D3 t The pebble is worn smooth 9 R8 k5 s9 _" J/ j- ]* }' ]9 i
Made small over time
: Z* b! A+ k3 m9 I% w4 b0 \ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature- F1 h. {$ }8 a7 @* R
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
4 G& j1 n: {0 ^- U- F9 [8 C An accidental offspring of a boulder
' w/ u9 V4 Y% a1 i2 c& u, ~( J But just a very small stone. 4 h0 j+ Q( c; j) A5 r* R
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The pebble's place in our world 3 v; k8 Y3 y) S# k8 y
Is neither understood nor appreciated( x- A: r: e/ t2 ?8 v
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 5 G O8 Y" D- R/ l% n# W
Its insignificance is transformed
1 d8 d+ d& I. ~9 H% o( E Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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* h' v7 T0 m* [* y3 [& X The instant the pebble kisses the pond7 l- J; d% k i) M8 s/ A5 ~
Its signature of concentric ripples + `% k }' @1 G5 _- U
Spiral outwards ( l2 i0 N! i$ g& f1 Q1 s- o# h
Moving far beyond itself.! n) r' I- v! F/ K
Gently affecting everything in its wake
* f% |. b- o v+ A, x; E Forever altering the smooth placid surface.) f9 F: \) f+ e1 Z; q
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning 2 E3 ?5 O$ |- Q
By unleashing its unimagined power?
7 X$ W8 M9 m2 Y' ^3 I Into a dueling force of action and reaction, Q, o' c7 ] ~" y8 i# y4 j# q) z% ^
Creating karmic energy" T& C/ p0 F( y8 s* d' u& ~
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.& A' I7 v+ i) Q" x
# h6 z+ h, \# A, {) J. q, q: ]" d; X Aren't we all pebbles?) I1 w! y0 K. U$ x0 p
Feeling small and insignificant
# i/ t) Q, M$ h* c( o' I { But ultimately recognizing 0 d0 T' G9 P) A! c. Y, T+ Z7 X
That who we are meant to be+ Z9 @- n9 D; W5 D/ X( q' k
Can never be measured in isolation
" Y; j9 M7 E0 @ on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
( c3 s% n6 L; y. n: _ Our everlasting future , P$ w V- N3 ?: M, J' m& N' b
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles J2 X, Z/ W4 ?# A) i) f* I
Into the pond of life
% ?: H1 q$ ?, c Creating ripples
; a% h; h4 ]6 x9 u that leave unique mark on our world
2 U0 ?' w @9 [' s Not because of thoughts
d* l5 O; h1 I7 A not because of well meaning plans
Q& M/ v3 c; O4 B But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered4 a# I+ [& Q: s3 v |# }
Because even the smallest pebble
j# S+ Y! e& G) p9 O No matter how seemingly insignificant T( Y t, l9 @; u1 ^
Changes the course of the lives9 c4 Z6 k- \6 _- G) p" Q
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death. E3 a# p3 w/ n @
beckon our lasting attention
6 p3 Y/ J# n; Z. X z$ z0 H We will gently leave this life
& g6 K# E+ z) Q5 o, ~ With the knowledge that
; M& }* c- `4 e/ C5 M/ H! r8 f because of that one pebble + i$ N$ o5 z7 i. A0 x; V
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …2 M- z ?& Z( N; `) L1 U( A
+ H5 D. T, P7 b4 w! t. P
Ross Rosenberg
4 L( p4 S3 A" b( C/ G 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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