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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.6 X3 g3 a) K9 j/ s) l& r
. I0 [, l J, b% p% i# ^& d5 O Heaven
3 k6 f+ a" ?3 t- R6 v& U The pebble is worn smooth
! d+ D3 d5 w& t. B$ j Made small over time
9 F, U7 d' B+ M. _: | A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
/ ]' ~! [* @3 }5 K# A A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
$ Z! W5 K, k9 I9 A An accidental offspring of a boulder * _0 E: O* h2 p* V3 d) q( j7 ^
But just a very small stone.
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* g; I! A+ m9 [6 r- G2 M$ u The pebble's place in our world , `7 p0 d! t5 c. O* W# @
Is neither understood nor appreciated
4 ]) _ J& x0 A0 [. I But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 9 G/ j1 A% d/ g; D o3 @, e2 v
Its insignificance is transformed0 u/ x; w7 I+ i
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.0 s% w |8 h) {
3 x9 ^6 Z# C- C E$ {7 M2 m# V The instant the pebble kisses the pond
+ X' g1 s2 x0 Y# t; ? Its signature of concentric ripples 4 y* i4 @; M) w
Spiral outwards " K3 N6 O1 ^2 H1 c; C9 `6 @
Moving far beyond itself.
v1 S- M) Q' K% b Gently affecting everything in its wake. }0 g) V% a- _, ^" u8 I. A, ?, c% m
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.: D. I6 L& |! E3 i: F" _/ u
) u L1 I; G1 e The pebble creates its worth and meaning / I4 @$ F5 j X
By unleashing its unimagined power? 8 T9 n m! Y: f9 f! w/ T
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
7 ^$ g! b) I. A9 p Creating karmic energy9 g5 S: h7 g2 z" j2 R/ ]% ^
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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; h+ [+ J2 _# k1 M& l* g. n Aren't we all pebbles?6 j. b2 l. |5 U
Feeling small and insignificant
( m6 [% B1 T" | But ultimately recognizing 1 d' T# h* }7 Y2 A
That who we are meant to be
/ y4 {: S2 u" R2 a- Q4 f8 s2 E Can never be measured in isolation
& u& W% ?# F8 P+ Y u: W on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:5 E+ ?; z. `$ h) _% b3 U0 }1 K- S- P
Our everlasting future L4 ^0 z0 u: K2 p v7 `% E! D
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles+ F% L3 ~- q; x! b0 f. h. N
Into the pond of life% l2 b. W6 R" n) | ~8 a
Creating ripples - V% x9 P/ T- f3 Q' o; M) n
that leave unique mark on our world
9 P1 Y1 z ^5 d5 l! A Not because of thoughts
* w/ J0 m0 ?+ x" I+ Y+ j! v not because of well meaning plans
7 R9 q. e2 W8 `; L% `8 [8 W* h But because of actions.
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, g5 u4 b8 w4 Y* Y Our life's prayers our answered
: m& W; k0 f4 @6 P, n1 { Because even the smallest pebble - O& R+ W( E& \, W
No matter how seemingly insignificant# U4 \: L1 {' U/ M% ^5 B' i5 c
Changes the course of the lives
) d Q5 E5 y7 ^* j Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
8 L. D/ ]0 N$ O% \9 ^7 N beckon our lasting attention* k, ^8 U4 @: D3 Y$ A
We will gently leave this life
& s( Z4 i2 a' r8 Z0 N9 O: { With the knowledge that $ p) I/ o8 Q+ X( y4 U" C! M
because of that one pebble
. F7 k4 m* t) u# E" v4 E; r% x The world will never be the same.* w& x! ^' p9 f5 `
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And then we have heaven …, l6 u, L3 M: W( A. @8 d$ j
1 y& n4 w% p/ j2 P Ross Rosenberg
1 I) Z& t' ~1 ?1 ~* U+ W5 G% z 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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