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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.
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Heaven. A- |. P) [8 s' r# |' f+ S
The pebble is worn smooth " a( C- P- l# A7 |1 p; q5 v* \4 F
Made small over time" u6 p) i: }5 E8 _. b& Q- A
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature# `0 M( j2 Z5 p, L( v8 }# d. |
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock0 j N2 S& |9 f' _+ p4 _" B+ q
An accidental offspring of a boulder 0 o, g6 J" t: C3 O: \# _
But just a very small stone. 9 ]. E: L7 \: i) U( L
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The pebble's place in our world
( H8 o: S0 C! R+ p& p Is neither understood nor appreciated
- a2 Z- c8 ]1 o" N6 O- e But when thrown into a glassy calm pond + ]1 M9 N' h% [6 j3 }$ ]
Its insignificance is transformed( G1 b5 S0 M" ~' D3 k4 }4 o1 `
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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3 i( u# T, ]: O: i8 f I The instant the pebble kisses the pond
8 f5 f, W4 Y4 A Its signature of concentric ripples
* O+ P& ]8 [+ f- G$ ] Spiral outwards 3 x: G6 R: |. K( g
Moving far beyond itself./ }& F: R4 W* Y& {
Gently affecting everything in its wake
% a8 {. u- ^' O* J4 c Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
. c2 c# a/ ^1 e By unleashing its unimagined power? ! n) y1 @. i9 n+ A4 c/ E8 h
Into a dueling force of action and reaction* Z+ j7 z" F$ t6 I$ u6 A
Creating karmic energy( e# V4 L; g. t5 w5 C U/ E
Producing lasting and fluid impressions./ o+ B0 m% P, t: ^2 Y% Y0 p
9 n9 Q/ E2 O3 D( p6 s _ Aren't we all pebbles?
' w2 ?) p, R# q* P$ I Feeling small and insignificant0 a! U$ s8 S% C, a5 Q7 l9 \3 q- Z
But ultimately recognizing
$ I! K ^ @$ w. q# b0 p That who we are meant to be
# Z* ^8 n# z) v8 i Can never be measured in isolation/ W0 n: ]) y8 ?3 ^
on a path into ourselves.- b+ i. h5 ~2 N+ @& ?
3 ~5 R' K, w% `7 E5 M/ @ It is true then: X" k$ R M% k6 _# K1 i
Our everlasting future
& I% k9 D. j( m0 p Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles5 X6 h: v8 U, f+ y# t X _
Into the pond of life( [, i# Z3 V* ?1 P) y1 W
Creating ripples
% Y5 K7 I4 O, O' T! C a that leave unique mark on our world ! }$ ] k& m, }3 l2 I' _$ H
Not because of thoughts 6 f( C) f% U+ r5 l& l& W% s
not because of well meaning plans. _& b' a# T2 v, j3 x* E
But because of actions. 6 z$ ]) A/ N$ o6 X
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Our life's prayers our answered- v) N \" F* K
Because even the smallest pebble
6 i% O) Q% j) J* {+ p No matter how seemingly insignificant5 E1 f' T2 V: F3 O6 ]7 o( m: i
Changes the course of the lives
r4 G% s i* L; N Of those we touch.?
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! o$ t- r8 {- ^; U; { And when the icy winds of death
4 e4 a8 X# w% W: x0 i/ @ beckon our lasting attention
, q! K- J" s u2 e* g( h# j We will gently leave this life + P g8 `2 k( B- f
With the knowledge that / I7 X: \$ l" e! O
because of that one pebble
9 C& C D+ _* K, E" L6 i8 t The world will never be the same.- O$ e/ ^) H' j& E/ `" |
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And then we have heaven …
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& X6 S. p; b7 `- u' P' E! V Ross Rosenberg
4 }6 s }4 s. S% z0 E- F7 @ 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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