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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.
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Heaven- ?7 M2 S3 p9 ]$ E) q7 {* }
The pebble is worn smooth
% _) \' n. b0 B Made small over time
+ j. {( O/ @) _% `4 a A product of a cataclysmic force of nature* ~6 y( T6 J% `$ Z
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
5 W3 {5 c2 j% R An accidental offspring of a boulder
; G. t, e& {- ^/ }. N5 d But just a very small stone.
6 m8 `4 ~/ ]9 [2 M
. q5 F# E6 I+ s* C: F The pebble's place in our world $ n! y! B) Z5 G% S
Is neither understood nor appreciated
* }1 M. _' R& H5 |% q; T But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 4 K: O: V. _+ H, O
Its insignificance is transformed
0 P; J& C P9 H# T# M/ k( | Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
9 t/ r0 E& M# a+ P. G & A8 i4 Q% `: O; W, T$ |& I
The instant the pebble kisses the pond
- H4 f' O% s7 C) e4 _ Its signature of concentric ripples . A- _: X4 a: c3 R% D8 {3 X
Spiral outwards - n" F5 f5 C! t: U& ?. I
Moving far beyond itself./ e! H7 U9 d; \* K/ K" l
Gently affecting everything in its wake
; s" k( z# L9 o( a" F9 r1 n" }) | Forever altering the smooth placid surface. Y% s' f7 j9 ^( c0 B
1 V( U$ h1 e. q) S5 Q) b$ z The pebble creates its worth and meaning
' z' M9 w* \# L6 D By unleashing its unimagined power?
% D, Z& f7 A/ d* n1 e# Z5 b Into a dueling force of action and reaction8 W6 h3 R- M% U |+ e
Creating karmic energy b, Y1 q$ R2 ?; O+ B
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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. d$ S) W/ F0 X- `8 e) C5 ^1 G Aren't we all pebbles?8 p& [. ]( m4 j! p
Feeling small and insignificant* W/ A( C2 k8 z
But ultimately recognizing
( }- h1 S9 E: w8 C/ J* f That who we are meant to be+ t# }; i7 V! `3 g' P
Can never be measured in isolation0 @% C: g6 r7 r& \2 H
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:3 k) ]6 y& Y( X) b
Our everlasting future
" o! i$ V. f4 k0 t8 Z, ~2 d4 |, C Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles) W0 H, t0 M, t: A9 x9 k. E: g
Into the pond of life4 i0 `; M! d) k
Creating ripples ' {- r+ F. O9 U+ [% M; ]2 \( Y& a6 k
that leave unique mark on our world 4 R. E$ @# W V3 a* x
Not because of thoughts
7 }2 {8 e$ A* S ^8 \3 e3 P% ]3 e. A not because of well meaning plans0 R4 B% Z6 |$ E3 i0 b# T, c$ X
But because of actions. ) s/ s w! f0 H+ _+ k- ]& T" `$ i
' o( P4 T$ N. v. q: j" e Our life's prayers our answered
) e5 x+ P0 i2 f/ W Because even the smallest pebble
! b: l, _3 L; s) m! l No matter how seemingly insignificant
& a4 m9 F: i$ V% M& W- ~ Changes the course of the lives8 ]5 A2 S& L! x8 V5 ^- O
Of those we touch.? 6 ]# _0 W7 I- f1 u
/ F3 c7 D# U% k And when the icy winds of death
. \( p0 n2 z& D k& w: h. s beckon our lasting attention
1 J1 o1 d2 S7 D: W0 O8 A8 H1 v8 F0 [ We will gently leave this life ! H0 \3 l1 x) l$ p6 ~+ b* _
With the knowledge that 8 ]5 i2 q2 Q3 z
because of that one pebble 2 W0 R9 J- P8 W0 U
The world will never be the same.
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, w; s& i a" C% X$ W8 s, j And then we have heaven …' |) f$ ^9 p! J
" N8 }' J# \) c# G Ross Rosenberg
2 P0 w2 g3 t, ?3 D1 @ 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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