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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. , T {/ U1 A: \
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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.
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" R1 }0 b" @ A! F Heaven
1 H. ^6 u) f. S% ~7 b" D The pebble is worn smooth 0 t4 p; a- Z: L# T- Y1 ], s
Made small over time4 L( F4 W, R7 y% F
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature. C& M1 H! H# w1 C: s' g
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
7 E( o9 Z. W- a( x An accidental offspring of a boulder - {) ?0 R- P/ k5 E4 i: Q/ Y
But just a very small stone. # ~: M" }# l! V0 }
- m( ^# H' q4 m The pebble's place in our world 9 k& A( B. P' `( x9 Z
Is neither understood nor appreciated
" }% k) S# }0 W4 ^( s# l/ A But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
& s+ I3 N7 ]1 B0 ~; C Its insignificance is transformed& N& c: _; p. `/ P# |0 \ ] u
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.. f3 g6 s9 e# h& o: Z
' ^- A# k; u8 U U The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 g( k9 x0 | G! w" k8 f& P+ m Its signature of concentric ripples
9 U' |% m$ C0 i$ w8 J) a1 B Spiral outwards
2 c8 r4 ]8 T: w8 E9 t+ ?! w* ?/ E Moving far beyond itself.0 ?! l, h* n5 m6 v* T q
Gently affecting everything in its wake
9 F, J6 ]. t b Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning 6 f' d$ H, P [/ N+ v
By unleashing its unimagined power? 4 O) A# L7 m5 n, h
Into a dueling force of action and reaction2 N* n+ \7 P5 v: U
Creating karmic energy
/ }- Z7 f, D3 W+ M& W2 e Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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9 C( Z6 E3 [7 t, f/ H% `5 k a Aren't we all pebbles?' `: [8 ?1 t6 g
Feeling small and insignificant# G9 C% Z% c" B0 M: ?
But ultimately recognizing 1 P: B; B9 ^/ ^( h: [# B6 |( {; a
That who we are meant to be
3 j! _; f1 I4 | Can never be measured in isolation
6 Y, T! W P* N/ S- J% U3 W0 Q on a path into ourselves., ^$ P; U3 B+ ]% S6 }0 t
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It is true then:' T* J8 Q- D l7 o1 W, [ }
Our everlasting future . |( Y- c% D' ^9 `8 j6 g. {
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles* j' Y6 D4 ?3 ?( G( t
Into the pond of life- ]$ ?8 ^. Y5 Q9 e) m) q
Creating ripples % T& a8 M4 S4 R! L( M5 b: f3 Q
that leave unique mark on our world ; E4 Z, r7 _; `% {
Not because of thoughts . L. i4 z7 n; C4 B/ |3 v- u$ K
not because of well meaning plans. S$ y6 k+ L( [4 p2 G
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
0 e# N `& V3 n0 ~. r1 U( b Because even the smallest pebble
' f8 A! A; e1 e, F( b No matter how seemingly insignificant' t" M- j* a+ q; a; ]4 A( Q) h- q7 V
Changes the course of the lives$ A: r8 n& Q' q9 ^: g2 l
Of those we touch.? 0 O; G0 M3 e. [$ z, h% \
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And when the icy winds of death+ [* Q( l/ i5 q( a
beckon our lasting attention
+ ]5 }9 J3 G3 o. k We will gently leave this life
5 I- ]2 D: @8 l2 _$ o, U With the knowledge that 0 Z5 J8 @# f9 ]9 n H
because of that one pebble & y$ x$ D7 ~/ U/ T" V$ w* W
The world will never be the same.
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8 H% A, c- ?# E" {0 Y And then we have heaven …7 [7 q4 \ _. l: H! B# u
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Ross Rosenberg/ }0 B! _+ d- T2 }' N' Y% t& b m
8/18/03 |
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