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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. # @; G- j! U# \4 w3 Z2 @
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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.
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Heaven6 c3 H" f4 B R( r8 b9 s9 {
The pebble is worn smooth + X; O' w" W( D3 n
Made small over time
' e) T/ Y4 W: O) ^% Z* t8 L A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
! M& \. |6 S1 }4 P8 k6 l; P2 m3 q A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock7 [( o4 O0 V5 V3 r4 f/ x, K6 k
An accidental offspring of a boulder
6 j5 ]3 O: t0 t3 U# U) f9 c But just a very small stone. : E. E( s4 Q X$ U) ?
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The pebble's place in our world . _! x# M1 r- v5 ?1 z' D
Is neither understood nor appreciated9 \% s8 R4 N$ Z8 x8 Q! j
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond , K' L- n- d6 h# L( I O
Its insignificance is transformed1 g0 {+ U% U& `+ M# ~
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond+ w0 v7 T# D/ U: j
Its signature of concentric ripples % C2 E, B' s( p
Spiral outwards 9 Z0 l& o5 Y+ y( }/ I
Moving far beyond itself.
; w) ~- \" s4 {# r8 g2 z ? Gently affecting everything in its wake
8 j$ i j; o2 X2 o Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
9 g6 { G/ [% t3 j3 L( u By unleashing its unimagined power? 1 z* _" w" j. t
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
1 B* R9 C) j$ F. c- {1 k( `' l Creating karmic energy: L9 d* T+ |# v
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.( G. D7 @3 Q# x" r6 J8 y8 [7 |
t) N$ h3 {. t# h Aren't we all pebbles?
+ C; A. i5 K$ d Feeling small and insignificant" q% B* `2 r- K# A$ b1 T; b
But ultimately recognizing
/ D: @; O; m$ y6 B1 h$ O That who we are meant to be! r3 J9 d8 F m# X% K2 Y/ D8 B& P/ a
Can never be measured in isolation
/ y' c& p( s" p' C on a path into ourselves.0 n& E. c+ c5 }, z
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It is true then:7 ]6 o5 \+ a) |: f t
Our everlasting future
" D: t/ }3 ^. U- M, q Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles; b7 u; y3 o% }' j
Into the pond of life
( {: Q" E/ y" E- m% l! w Creating ripples 8 |3 }! D2 s; _( A/ k2 T. N
that leave unique mark on our world
t4 b4 o! V8 u ] \! i2 W( { Not because of thoughts & C" ` l0 W& R6 ~* E6 T
not because of well meaning plans) ]. B% X- y3 N6 Y
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
9 B$ Y: R' T* \$ M, K Because even the smallest pebble
7 k! H, g+ U; }0 J7 a5 A7 P, _4 f No matter how seemingly insignificant
7 L6 `% C, ]1 e/ F; ] Changes the course of the lives
# r2 U* t' {/ G/ a% p' b Of those we touch.? 6 O; d6 b# o9 E, I5 _+ e
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And when the icy winds of death
4 \) d) ^. M# z1 x5 V4 h beckon our lasting attention+ W0 I: _. g0 H
We will gently leave this life 4 F O" t7 B5 I( I
With the knowledge that 7 _8 v0 L5 A+ F& `! i
because of that one pebble
5 j' w+ Q1 B8 I" F) R The world will never be the same.9 I3 L( H; K, T* [3 X: \
4 [" Y2 Q# D/ ] ]* G; b; Z2 z And then we have heaven …$ {+ L7 p! A3 i1 a, C- T7 G. W! }
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Ross Rosenberg
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