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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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0 Q; X6 X$ z4 q0 ` 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.- X# ]. c3 o, A2 M% k
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Heaven
+ K5 t2 Z# M& v8 s The pebble is worn smooth
. A7 e: M& h- N% b6 d Made small over time
! F. j* b' V r+ c, y0 G A product of a cataclysmic force of nature/ T \% K6 z/ j- ?! ]: f* U0 B
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
/ C' T* r% u6 Q An accidental offspring of a boulder
- y1 Z9 x7 x I# o' M6 P But just a very small stone.
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% \7 y+ E4 N/ E. P, U The pebble's place in our world
$ ^, k1 m# c+ [ Is neither understood nor appreciated: g6 Y! y, V2 @- Z# V
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond ' b2 x0 c4 j5 Z+ d9 I, x m
Its insignificance is transformed
* p; ^. R/ x' } o/ J+ d0 m# n Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.! M) @3 ]/ \5 ^
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
" L# X+ ?1 U# X- @3 U/ b% K Its signature of concentric ripples
! ~0 }$ X- ]' `! u Spiral outwards
0 o6 F1 H' B0 K Moving far beyond itself.# [5 x, n* \( U, h6 ]# c' M
Gently affecting everything in its wake
: i7 N, P* e, z6 J& h' S* b; | Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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: S, S! o2 }8 I8 N The pebble creates its worth and meaning N( t0 j R/ W1 K2 T6 I' N# L- m
By unleashing its unimagined power?
6 S: F. L% i0 r2 T' q' y9 {& l Into a dueling force of action and reaction
7 Z( Q! }2 l- I2 a Creating karmic energy" Y- m* Q& Q+ S+ q. A7 p
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?, K$ ?" @' S6 y2 ]
Feeling small and insignificant
( M6 e$ [# W* E" c' F' C But ultimately recognizing 6 o8 v$ g/ F7 j, `" [
That who we are meant to be
1 d3 P& [2 c3 j# g5 D! P4 B Can never be measured in isolation8 V5 D+ ^% m1 @6 m- _! m
on a path into ourselves.2 M9 p% K) e6 y! A+ n
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It is true then:
: u3 d w" h% {" W/ W0 i# P Our everlasting future
6 r7 C7 d' K3 M Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
, M; X; w7 A3 k- Q* a* E5 S Into the pond of life- O$ ^$ D8 {& v
Creating ripples
; R' p8 F6 J3 x: a that leave unique mark on our world - T+ O1 {, K3 _- ~' f4 `) T& N! U3 }
Not because of thoughts " h- i, q( f0 ^
not because of well meaning plans
9 n$ J5 S& B& N$ v; L But because of actions. " ]8 C( t, q+ N1 H
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Our life's prayers our answered
, K; P7 g* B1 o* a! J7 T Because even the smallest pebble
( z. q' k; J3 S/ j' s# ^0 G No matter how seemingly insignificant% s5 n: s7 Q. X p q
Changes the course of the lives
# z E3 y, P: d, u9 \ Of those we touch.?
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; E0 g+ T* k5 O& G2 E$ E4 V And when the icy winds of death
. Q0 `' k+ h( R4 W3 @) h beckon our lasting attention
) I! |- N; l8 q! o: D% q* T: x- u4 Z$ P We will gently leave this life $ O3 B0 m, ?& W% a
With the knowledge that
" G1 q8 R/ A! n because of that one pebble
5 G, J8 u1 o ?& r, W" r) S, y The world will never be the same.% Y6 Y! P% X. X+ J) h9 ]
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And then we have heaven …: D9 A) w* w! ` |* F) h; ^$ N
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Ross Rosenberg+ W+ F% U4 G9 Q7 ]# z6 N
8/18/03 |
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