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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 V/ B* }- o+ C, y9 Z
- m9 Y0 |" s! c g) d* P 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, j3 t' g7 |9 J1 T! s
The pebble is worn smooth
. z* a) y% I7 D. Q& |- _( Q- R4 t Made small over time
# M" X. e5 g1 @1 g2 b A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
8 W/ e4 Q! b3 A; p# [, p" `3 w+ W: z A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock$ \# H+ s* _9 S$ B
An accidental offspring of a boulder # j9 s1 K& Y5 E3 J
But just a very small stone.
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! Q+ H% q9 H" o* ]% L The pebble's place in our world 1 P& p0 y0 ~4 J* _* j
Is neither understood nor appreciated. h5 @) Y3 K1 m0 H8 g% P
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond ! Q( o' E9 W4 k. Z
Its insignificance is transformed% y+ v% x& H/ }4 `) D
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
" v7 c/ o* Z' c O
5 q3 [* F9 i: k1 [6 w, v" G# K The instant the pebble kisses the pond
: `7 ~$ c' f- d1 e& c! I" i Its signature of concentric ripples ( G9 D$ L X; r: u( D
Spiral outwards : f& i1 W2 x" u7 T& M) c4 P
Moving far beyond itself.
; I, P/ n$ H# @4 c Gently affecting everything in its wake& F# s/ e& e# F: d6 `9 a0 N* g6 T
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.5 q& A7 ]$ \) Q! z5 A ^; \7 W! z
& v. p6 ~) ~: G) c The pebble creates its worth and meaning + ^; P+ ~3 R- [& D9 J: t) A+ ]2 w
By unleashing its unimagined power?
: A' \' u! a7 }$ A; d Into a dueling force of action and reaction
# N' E/ `& q! o+ f* `, ` Creating karmic energy c8 _3 K, Z1 t( H/ i% p6 W6 r* F
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.8 O! d: \& w x5 ]4 _9 F, ~# }
$ Z5 n$ f5 j2 [) e Aren't we all pebbles?0 M: \: W! G: l' @5 I& P. i% x, h9 i
Feeling small and insignificant! S/ E5 W- s9 I8 y6 ?: g
But ultimately recognizing " H+ ?) B: i% i3 E [
That who we are meant to be
" u5 q5 [6 K* d& G* W Can never be measured in isolation
$ n6 H2 d4 E" @ E+ v3 X8 A- @ on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:5 }6 z5 I& z! v( T9 O
Our everlasting future
' Z9 q" K' {2 ^ Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles8 o3 }/ T* [: t; E6 `& o2 |
Into the pond of life. N B! p0 _+ ~+ u; u
Creating ripples
$ s& s ^7 `% q R2 J that leave unique mark on our world
' c$ ` W: p/ J* q6 d Not because of thoughts + _" b) B* f6 w$ Z' w& Z) r
not because of well meaning plans6 I$ F- x8 e0 O3 K6 P" ~; D
But because of actions.
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4 j/ z. v2 G: K9 J( ^. n2 o. P/ [ Our life's prayers our answered m' d$ k$ l* A9 O% m* T; p* ]
Because even the smallest pebble ! I# G3 k0 C' l8 Y
No matter how seemingly insignificant2 a0 U: H8 L4 l
Changes the course of the lives
" { Q8 m- O" U! @, r9 i1 b Of those we touch.? & K; z) j. t, |# v4 c. X
/ N8 l' b8 w7 W' L, E" c And when the icy winds of death
7 N5 p! ^5 m' D beckon our lasting attention: @8 V. J+ j6 s2 j- p
We will gently leave this life
- g9 N5 _" B9 J: l. S With the knowledge that - _! J g a* o( m2 l" b: H
because of that one pebble
% e& A7 P/ o; z+ \) o3 { The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …& h& E+ B, ^6 {# a' X
; f* ^- n! c. D' i3 C( o5 A Ross Rosenberg
$ z& w7 Y8 g! U, K% f: k" N 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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