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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.+ {4 ]4 b* g$ o( I
* d, G! k* t8 J Heaven# f) V# `" G# i
The pebble is worn smooth 8 {# ^6 M# }) Z7 L* Q! o3 P
Made small over time
2 F$ Y# k# Q j; o. A7 ~ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
* H4 R4 P: S4 M A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock; M& P Q- A0 V3 S% M6 y
An accidental offspring of a boulder . D/ E5 L! n# S. H6 g
But just a very small stone.
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* j8 e( f9 ^. |1 K4 [ The pebble's place in our world
" R+ Z) T! o- v1 V Is neither understood nor appreciated# G9 }" z y& j% w$ {
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
% s- l+ p' a6 k$ |" |* J$ @ Its insignificance is transformed. @1 h2 w4 D6 F0 ~0 ]
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.$ M I4 E( v# e' Y6 t5 f
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond# i. ?- U& v5 e. a9 @' U+ c
Its signature of concentric ripples , o! N/ x N( k
Spiral outwards
2 I3 B1 u2 S* E/ y+ Q! ~- D% h Moving far beyond itself.7 e! K1 ^% b- P1 D- {9 R
Gently affecting everything in its wake$ B. R# ?7 T c+ \
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.* K1 R$ j1 N% r" s' \, Q9 B
+ \( b ? a: o3 E7 a The pebble creates its worth and meaning
: | k+ c! u+ Q+ l2 U {9 p By unleashing its unimagined power?
1 e0 q' b! C# y* n0 S$ \ Into a dueling force of action and reaction0 h/ {- r! _/ d3 e5 |+ h
Creating karmic energy
7 J$ ?% ^1 u- r, A- e( | Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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7 P0 g7 R1 P/ b7 [5 y4 E Aren't we all pebbles?
! D- y& A) \# p/ a# z Feeling small and insignificant
' }! _2 H9 @+ D But ultimately recognizing
4 K R9 c" Z4 s7 Z9 q9 _ That who we are meant to be
6 w, E# T2 ^& }. b# }3 Y' e$ z Can never be measured in isolation
) }2 c1 @- r) W# ~6 }3 M on a path into ourselves.4 d7 h% O# D) e" J* r7 q: c
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It is true then:; ~" Q8 I) _. S7 [6 \% c5 T; b
Our everlasting future - K. A$ b" A4 X, D" M
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles; s/ i O( @+ w4 {3 z
Into the pond of life
( ?( M) L+ e, L8 L4 K7 i9 y Creating ripples ( R$ v2 L: a2 H- K6 U7 L. T5 b$ k
that leave unique mark on our world
`3 U* w2 A/ u Not because of thoughts ; {; p1 M8 [( U3 n( I
not because of well meaning plans( h; Q' y& G# `9 h% Z
But because of actions. # g3 y" u: }" T2 @, E; z, t6 D
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Our life's prayers our answered& N/ D" @8 M2 X1 |) x
Because even the smallest pebble " P$ m' L$ f" B% N
No matter how seemingly insignificant
2 f+ D$ F9 M" U- g2 {4 c Changes the course of the lives2 Y$ _& _: e7 T: ^
Of those we touch.? 3 v# @; d# ^& T
& R. d* \, C) E n/ F; x And when the icy winds of death
8 q# ?9 D: T2 ^' E6 a beckon our lasting attention p, ?4 o* _; f" ^$ c
We will gently leave this life
5 q" w# T8 X+ J! y2 e8 o; h7 y With the knowledge that 1 c7 H9 @5 ?& Z* I6 P3 N
because of that one pebble , |+ X0 X$ A7 p( g6 O
The world will never be the same., E" J; ~. G1 T l" [9 A! |
) P5 ~5 [3 @/ ^6 s* Q And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg' R( w- f- R, ?6 p w% |
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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