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Heaven

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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36 | 显示全部楼层 |阅读模式
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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.
' |5 u9 y' h* w- Z- I
7 _* O) `, x0 }. L! a4 _: Q 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.
$ h/ s) n9 G# l& ~0 s/ }+ p! d; w* n
* B- H+ P: j; t  p1 x Heaven
/ c( s, e; M* s The pebble is worn smooth 3 j$ ]) Y1 r0 t* _  H
Made small over time; G+ w5 o& t0 s- K, j( a+ b0 j
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
7 F7 a' A3 L4 p7 U4 l A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock/ [  Z( Q+ w& M
An accidental offspring of a boulder
8 Y+ n1 j. @! a2 b6 w" ? But just a very small stone.
1 |& P* J- H5 X% e 2 a$ b- W& s( s' C2 q! X
The pebble's place in our world : I* L8 k- P3 F. J: u
Is neither understood nor appreciated$ c' o% M$ I  R( {
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond & O/ a9 a' F/ x, e) f4 E
Its insignificance is transformed
6 i! F! Q7 y6 U9 [ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
* F& V1 |1 Z  i2 h3 z6 o
3 P/ e. G% ^9 U( _$ \9 _# L. X The instant the pebble kisses the pond% X, `5 \) @. Q& ?
Its signature of concentric ripples
$ b2 i: R4 Q7 ~' X* F% @; V Spiral outwards 7 @( A' u5 `4 m. [0 W6 c: b" o
Moving far beyond itself.# N. l  I  L8 F0 h  K% y
Gently affecting everything in its wake
$ u# ^. I' Z+ G0 f, K  k  D Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
. @" W9 y9 \: w/ U+ O( W9 y& L$ }
* `) }5 G3 ?3 {5 H; B The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) v( K" u" U( G# Z" ~( J) w) p By unleashing its unimagined power? 8 {0 h/ t8 U9 M+ _
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
% F6 j( W7 e, S; \* }% g* e1 M1 R Creating karmic energy9 j6 l$ ?+ X7 A% t
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
; c1 x. I7 t; ]2 f   t0 k' f* l! N  r4 ]4 ?
Aren't we all pebbles?
( E$ c( Z' G# L  f4 D. I4 M8 t Feeling small and insignificant! s5 I" f! U9 X+ {7 w0 _
But ultimately recognizing 6 |- S$ y, \3 V/ e# I7 H. I( B
That who we are meant to be
7 g2 W* u2 L! I$ y9 n: O Can never be measured in isolation
* J9 K, o2 h2 X, j. e on a path into ourselves.
) @( s9 X0 [, ^$ O2 I   b' j. R( d4 ]5 `! u- y* g
It is true then:
0 c% ^" v5 l8 f) v4 P Our everlasting future - U# |0 N# l, R% C
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
1 y! g" ^" y0 p Into the pond of life0 M$ C6 r# Q- s; a. x3 M
Creating ripples 7 j6 f1 G9 d& k3 A" x
that leave unique mark on our world
# a* d" Z" n# l3 n5 i Not because of thoughts
' ?4 h% N+ d. z5 y" E: {  C not because of well meaning plans
; d- n; m0 K# G% G! ^9 ~! G2 i3 Z7 d% G" d But because of actions. % X0 K* ~; R5 [; _' Q+ S4 l' Z
0 N  P1 W5 z3 r* [3 [2 b; q
Our life's prayers our answered
: t, o- [! Z9 K1 o! n Because even the smallest pebble
' q( ]- t+ H9 S( u0 i8 p No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 N4 N- ]( A5 h0 o9 `* P* q Changes the course of the lives
4 x0 e3 l5 A; E7 q+ f' @3 Y, f+ F Of those we touch.?
/ a/ R+ Q/ p' G$ K( x6 U' |  F
  a' C4 ~8 n9 b/ {- k" v, F And when the icy winds of death
# Z/ r: N& L7 }9 D" M& Y beckon our lasting attention0 ~! ^) j- \1 k9 p* W
We will gently leave this life
4 \! A& E% n) ?3 A With the knowledge that
9 |& c- \" x2 T3 G$ `  B4 g6 C: C because of that one pebble " e( R8 M; ]* O# ?3 L  f2 W4 f1 X
The world will never be the same.( a& I$ {1 W) N1 G6 ^. ^

9 _6 X/ Y  D' _: W$ a+ j8 J$ b  z( t And then we have heaven …1 v: b- P7 m7 H7 R0 L

! y6 R8 ^  Z" I& Z) _ Ross Rosenberg
7 S, D. c# Y$ j0 Z( T 8/18/03
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