 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
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.
, k+ J4 X: P* x
' {) R! H2 m5 l/ z 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.
) d: P9 n" K# ^) s4 d8 T) r0 a- \8 r; m - |8 G/ L/ h5 x7 [
Heaven1 j1 h& S' R5 Q- D9 q: g! {
The pebble is worn smooth
7 d% y$ z* `) j6 l. G0 v" T Made small over time
. S3 X" u, p) U! f& X X7 P A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
; Q: u6 o! V5 {2 X/ t A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock( M) y6 _ v6 A) f
An accidental offspring of a boulder
( C: l8 N3 u) v# s) a But just a very small stone.
4 G& r0 e( t! J3 |
8 v7 C: \) U, e The pebble's place in our world & V) T7 G7 n: y: ?
Is neither understood nor appreciated
7 R9 U3 [' L7 B+ s8 K2 w3 ] But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
/ d8 X- H1 t- j. d1 B* d Its insignificance is transformed
1 o7 u# |/ u. p1 w5 Y; q Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.' K8 X5 @" X! a( ~) Q& `& _
$ m+ a( I% Q% E4 Z4 Q The instant the pebble kisses the pond
6 k; I5 F, j2 H; k! T' A Its signature of concentric ripples % ^% O# A) K* |' E4 k
Spiral outwards : v6 M5 P% R" O8 D+ l: x
Moving far beyond itself.
$ z, t+ r# F9 z, i6 t' K Gently affecting everything in its wake0 Q) R0 G1 {9 P( E( T% L4 E
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.) N# K/ | x. ?* E7 N
$ t' s2 W5 t- V) z6 Z
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
# J. x2 e6 {: L: S% G4 D By unleashing its unimagined power? & Y, ?5 U* w. v
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
8 j3 V6 n! Q6 n, F% o: f) ~ Creating karmic energy \) W9 R, U- G# y
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
- p$ B6 g; l6 j2 o* m6 w t 4 I4 L) B; ^2 j( _: _ s7 t
Aren't we all pebbles?
; ]% Q' Z2 o' e( Y" o& Y4 H Feeling small and insignificant% s" f3 W/ p/ d: c
But ultimately recognizing
' t c0 s* U! J; g8 Z | That who we are meant to be: m) p/ I% l1 n
Can never be measured in isolation: Y" ~; U m6 {! z1 e/ O4 L) X6 x
on a path into ourselves.
6 Q! x4 k* p8 q 5 ` G& {# U1 }! T) m4 s. S5 G$ \
It is true then:
5 l/ K0 B0 [- W Our everlasting future
4 w' k; E% N, Z; f& Z Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles& U" p4 d' H. S- j/ e
Into the pond of life
m5 h+ f, {/ f; M, l" ` Creating ripples
V; @: D; p1 `2 h+ r8 G; T8 U that leave unique mark on our world 6 z, U% S) r# ?3 R0 {9 r5 J* z
Not because of thoughts - K9 v& W# d" {. }
not because of well meaning plans/ [3 B; ?! t6 T( W% i" f# ]
But because of actions.
0 z2 `0 V7 @0 D4 _& Q7 r
: [) B3 t# S1 D1 N1 g! E Our life's prayers our answered
9 G. S7 U) e; c Because even the smallest pebble
8 q- r9 g" b I* W% V0 p No matter how seemingly insignificant0 B1 O$ e) }9 N; E* X$ i' Q* B
Changes the course of the lives$ V: J2 I+ x( s4 \) d2 i. D
Of those we touch.?
: y0 l$ j4 B6 |5 ~* A1 I
8 s o9 |: L1 W3 c& |# m. E And when the icy winds of death! O4 ^, |" K5 s; G0 V0 ^5 g
beckon our lasting attention1 {# @& B. h- B! g( e, ?' P
We will gently leave this life
* p: K5 g( @( P8 p" _ With the knowledge that B; X4 Q7 Y6 _0 B. d# c
because of that one pebble
; s+ O8 |7 z0 q6 M- Y1 ` The world will never be the same.: w9 M! a. Q, a4 G( h6 W5 @
" {9 I' U3 A& u And then we have heaven …, ~/ Z( w6 e2 L4 c: q; _
) S/ w+ A) |) m) k, C
Ross Rosenberg
( O7 q; g7 G s9 m/ o, K6 z 8/18/03 |
|
狗仔卡
发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
提升卡
置顶卡
沉默卡
喧嚣卡
变色卡
显身卡