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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. 1 R2 `6 S }, r; ^. r# B' o
+ ?# K5 B9 Q% y4 ~2 `) O 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.
) \7 f0 x/ Y& u+ u( b
' _; X' l- c1 ^ Heaven
7 S/ x5 i8 A; |5 y, B The pebble is worn smooth 1 z4 E0 e [2 \! `
Made small over time
# c% F' \$ o& o. s, {" u A product of a cataclysmic force of nature8 z& O' q: _. v1 F
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock5 [" I1 z6 g: {# m3 w$ E
An accidental offspring of a boulder 3 M. C! @# H5 m3 j# T
But just a very small stone. * F0 v2 r/ L$ e4 X3 t
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The pebble's place in our world ' W" X; z- |) v4 Z5 |& D6 L
Is neither understood nor appreciated4 B N# t& N4 O# l6 p' B1 Q
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
* q; S z* j# t( j, ~2 ^ I5 ` Its insignificance is transformed& |$ E' J8 Z4 B2 ^
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed., v' X! w# B' {
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
7 D7 V6 H) \, d1 s4 Y Its signature of concentric ripples 1 a& \8 U( F v' N; j% O
Spiral outwards 3 }/ H! a+ b& N) Z4 J
Moving far beyond itself.
; }0 l: ?1 f2 n# S- @0 h* f0 | Gently affecting everything in its wake2 ?9 _$ g5 B7 D* h8 q1 R
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.9 v0 N4 L/ C0 L: A0 r
p: U3 B# |* f+ b& X) c/ B5 w The pebble creates its worth and meaning
% a2 l% {' P1 w% u- z% ~ By unleashing its unimagined power? $ N' a. m7 T: @! ]1 t
Into a dueling force of action and reaction# Q( q @$ G% q" ?. e& r
Creating karmic energy0 |. H# [* v9 L& _6 m1 S5 x
Producing lasting and fluid impressions./ L5 E- ]6 I1 ^5 W2 s# F
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Aren't we all pebbles?, Z. n4 a+ I1 U' ^4 T/ K) z' b
Feeling small and insignificant% R- Y+ [, l. Z- E8 P! d6 Q7 J9 H; v
But ultimately recognizing
; b: Y' G6 T! q) b7 E* ^ That who we are meant to be* S5 p* T6 d+ v/ \) O8 D
Can never be measured in isolation
8 `/ `9 s8 `& U on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
- q0 Y; }3 Z' B6 z$ S Our everlasting future
6 W; V/ N: W I# D( x: Z Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles- h- q- `. p ^, s. @9 z
Into the pond of life; l! T! `% ~2 f. P5 T0 Z8 R
Creating ripples 6 J- q, b# {5 u9 a# [/ @# W
that leave unique mark on our world
5 V* n* v U+ L* H0 d Not because of thoughts % L0 `0 u' ^0 D- n8 B8 N$ X+ R
not because of well meaning plans
% r2 ^$ E) W0 \2 |7 J2 n But because of actions. ; e4 `1 v9 c" X* V/ c3 s
5 c9 K0 J3 T8 Y. R5 h3 d Our life's prayers our answered# E* @$ L% U& x H- i: P
Because even the smallest pebble
( t+ M0 P1 B+ A; Z: M No matter how seemingly insignificant) y: g% _; ]! T& @2 v
Changes the course of the lives% s" M5 I. Z2 R' `
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
' x0 x. Y( k6 Y! f- P; N beckon our lasting attention- Y3 l# ?* |& W' W7 i W
We will gently leave this life 2 c; t: h6 o5 q7 Q2 W
With the knowledge that $ n- D) v! E" S# Q8 ?
because of that one pebble
" q* A; L) q. A9 f% S! ?* H The world will never be the same.
3 x8 `( v- M. ]* {5 G 3 S2 C M. a @: Y: b" \7 { e8 x
And then we have heaven …. L: ?: t! N1 S/ l( A" W
1 \7 Y6 O$ @/ p' Q Ross Rosenberg6 `: }3 q) }: p4 R0 P" Q, }
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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