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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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, p. b/ Q) B# S 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) _ H$ c6 M/ W0 j4 Y% n
The pebble is worn smooth , J! S8 @$ @2 \/ o& U) e
Made small over time
7 q" [! ~8 ?% { X2 s A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
3 E0 t7 d7 s$ Z$ l2 F3 f A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
" K0 B8 k7 D& F; I( i An accidental offspring of a boulder
: A& W+ g- x( G6 q/ d5 c! u+ H But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world ; K/ `( m6 Y$ k8 V
Is neither understood nor appreciated
" R {: L/ {" I# @' U But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
3 X# |5 d! c6 A/ I/ K$ J3 Y$ O Its insignificance is transformed
, F" u* w' u( G! L$ ] Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.# w; O$ u% s( j, ^
7 P: b$ e( ~# Q, i The instant the pebble kisses the pond
2 |4 e% ?$ v# @% A. r( T Its signature of concentric ripples ) ~) X* m: y5 d& {) g' o
Spiral outwards
8 Q1 v$ @" ^9 c Moving far beyond itself.
0 v v6 l$ S4 V" l1 f Gently affecting everything in its wake8 h" p4 B; n9 M% `3 ^
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.0 H# \6 j- c* z! P- R
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
: w$ B' Z) p+ ~8 D By unleashing its unimagined power? ( L: T% t1 j- J) ]
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
4 |4 Z7 { S0 n& V, M' e( M& W' I Creating karmic energy& {4 R3 z/ ~; g6 p
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?- p4 `2 p; G; H# M* W* I9 _, ^4 ~
Feeling small and insignificant
# K4 }- t8 o( w, g! l4 s0 q" M But ultimately recognizing ' [$ Z o! h+ m0 j, T! x
That who we are meant to be
3 P5 q3 e7 P2 w1 `! h2 ^ Can never be measured in isolation! C6 K, j; b5 i' A( F! z$ o: w
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:& x- Y1 u% P6 p0 L
Our everlasting future * F7 } M: `% ?% J
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
_! U9 r! B- f% T( B" m: C+ `+ p8 D" n Into the pond of life% F+ S; o" M/ X
Creating ripples " P! n6 A9 T e) _, S
that leave unique mark on our world
2 l% x* b- X8 ^8 T Not because of thoughts
3 m, z6 V, Y8 _0 I not because of well meaning plans* Y# x1 Y5 T' O3 ~; Y3 I0 k# M
But because of actions.
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( `& n" j y* t Our life's prayers our answered
( b5 c" m, [ f- _& c2 m Because even the smallest pebble 1 F* \! `# F4 T8 k+ D
No matter how seemingly insignificant6 Z; Z6 z: W4 I
Changes the course of the lives
) p- `* `' {/ h6 }* I Of those we touch.?
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+ n# C3 a* D+ t' y And when the icy winds of death8 I! G6 Y! _- n2 P# o- B
beckon our lasting attention0 x% S: f( _. s7 |. M
We will gently leave this life
3 w# m! X3 B ^- U; \1 q# S6 X, J# j With the knowledge that : y( ]+ |: v# R% n+ r+ h
because of that one pebble
0 @9 i+ F" e4 A2 ^+ B# k+ w: W The world will never be the same., ~: J n" ~' u/ d! g# U
8 R1 T9 T, |. z2 b4 u% i. v And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg& R8 D9 c% c Y: Q
8/18/03 |
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