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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. - s+ b7 }: Z( L T8 i
% r+ o$ g0 x ?. b7 u 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.& F( Z( v5 R: n1 b: S
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Heaven
0 ^ ?" @9 Q2 N- @. E The pebble is worn smooth
+ \9 R0 y" ?5 z+ f2 _( Y) ? Made small over time7 S; V6 W6 S' O$ V
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature9 i* B" Q2 ~* p% X# Q
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock+ ~" k! [: P+ c3 d& e4 Q7 c
An accidental offspring of a boulder 6 f L/ \! s6 v6 K8 D5 R
But just a very small stone. , L9 {/ X/ o$ `" `0 c8 u7 P7 x
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The pebble's place in our world
* X3 V) v; z' F" z# Q9 x' @8 S Is neither understood nor appreciated8 D& N; _% M0 s& W2 c- U
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
; j' J% m @; X7 |2 a; {% h& | Its insignificance is transformed; K0 `6 I. P) v8 }3 d+ i
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
1 B' m- d4 a- J6 S Its signature of concentric ripples
6 i. L; T! [+ W! Q" [$ v2 ?1 R Spiral outwards 5 D' @, y3 h* z, e
Moving far beyond itself.9 O) m% i v9 A3 w {' N
Gently affecting everything in its wake2 P; ~# d: _. P& ?
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.8 w* M/ t- _4 u5 I5 \2 S
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning % u9 o5 n: a" U, S5 M7 z
By unleashing its unimagined power? |/ m; j6 c) ~% q" W# ?
Into a dueling force of action and reaction. Z9 s7 j) ^4 s& j$ w
Creating karmic energy% z# [% ]/ t+ g# f
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
" t5 C' L3 W; a/ I0 @6 J4 w# l! p; w- g Feeling small and insignificant
2 q' m- i% L# G4 s+ S& F# r But ultimately recognizing
' A ~* @5 [ c" w8 p9 z* } That who we are meant to be
, N& @+ z; G+ u# _8 M& q' l; i: S Can never be measured in isolation
, B1 h8 j$ b8 |+ | on a path into ourselves.9 C, e/ o" q& l: @
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It is true then:
# @ X$ Z# Q/ R4 U& ] Our everlasting future
6 o2 z! _# B; q0 J- L `; H( Y- [ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles+ Z4 h) h3 ~/ s% m# b) V6 ]: o
Into the pond of life# H* B6 j C2 o/ ^. w3 z: R
Creating ripples
* l" p9 y. \) S+ r that leave unique mark on our world
$ y3 ]* B1 w" G' F5 m Not because of thoughts 9 K$ S# c! x" Y
not because of well meaning plans
+ R. a0 \2 v* K R/ ? But because of actions. 7 ?( @9 l. ], ?5 ~
# ]8 E: T$ ^4 x+ l Our life's prayers our answered
3 n( C& @ j1 i9 D5 |- o Because even the smallest pebble
6 ^, b# \+ ?3 V. A; a No matter how seemingly insignificant
- |3 _4 S( p+ E0 W Changes the course of the lives
& e9 P, n' q9 @ Y Of those we touch.? 8 _% _- V6 ]# o
* H7 d5 w5 f, ], I3 U; _; k2 A And when the icy winds of death- w7 {9 l0 }/ H8 R
beckon our lasting attention
o$ v6 c) D9 @4 n We will gently leave this life
, E. M( M4 X5 u! m T6 b0 V With the knowledge that # D5 s: a! p' y6 l% Z
because of that one pebble
' g9 y+ a9 U I% R; n: h The world will never be the same./ u) Y; ^% x6 ]! |9 J
( B" y- t0 u4 {5 d And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
6 N! [7 s6 C! ?$ U @ 8/18/03 |
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