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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.# J, Y( R# W7 W0 W2 P( U# @1 }
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Heaven
5 g: h. r- t( W% ]' A- ~8 W% R& } The pebble is worn smooth
- ?6 D/ R, {% n Made small over time
5 w; H$ V9 j8 C A product of a cataclysmic force of nature; k! \7 t1 T, C
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock! f ?7 \0 F& `+ E: I
An accidental offspring of a boulder 2 L; J) s' I; g3 T8 S
But just a very small stone. . a* K4 k, v6 P7 `# C7 U
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The pebble's place in our world % F, \9 o. ?8 O8 v" b1 o
Is neither understood nor appreciated
! | Y5 V5 S6 M# K' z3 u But when thrown into a glassy calm pond * e6 h3 M/ R' `5 {" u* ~2 z
Its insignificance is transformed" T; Y3 ~$ h$ Z" L' X1 u3 r
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.4 q* `$ K. C& Y) |: t+ V0 s
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
* c: p4 }9 g4 n: a; _) I Its signature of concentric ripples
9 N# R6 s( a+ u! E. _" N6 e4 G$ c' ^ Spiral outwards ( [- B0 _$ Y; R8 c. m! s4 O5 p
Moving far beyond itself.2 U# O+ F. Q9 m V( F1 E4 v( K8 W
Gently affecting everything in its wake
% i9 ?2 y- C8 M/ V2 t Forever altering the smooth placid surface.6 D* h5 T, X" C& t; p
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning 7 K8 l% U. P; y! d, b4 }
By unleashing its unimagined power? , @+ Z, p7 |1 l) A7 h
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
; p' s e! D6 G1 b Creating karmic energy
% I n8 I* k! N5 q! A/ k7 \ Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?" A% d" g/ ?7 E g) K
Feeling small and insignificant
- E, G5 y! K9 f4 u; ` But ultimately recognizing
' W- W: p4 `; \ That who we are meant to be; v9 r1 D, u2 f/ U
Can never be measured in isolation0 |/ ^$ ^2 \* Z
on a path into ourselves.
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4 W0 ^# j+ @ k6 P; c It is true then:( j/ `0 P4 y. v& W4 _
Our everlasting future 9 d+ u) c5 j- y+ h7 b( B1 c" q
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles; o3 G: y; M4 j1 b5 k7 ^( ]4 w* D
Into the pond of life. ?* S5 s% ^- X( `8 z1 }+ N, H
Creating ripples 8 s3 ~: ]- s8 p5 j3 @
that leave unique mark on our world
+ z/ z- @, A! D* c: y7 h, c" i Not because of thoughts
, E" h' }* A6 |1 o7 B6 ?* m not because of well meaning plans7 U0 S. Z; U1 @: ^- c/ y8 l) j( [
But because of actions.
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Our life's prayers our answered
1 T" Y' J* f0 _) p1 A# J$ e Because even the smallest pebble , C- N) }" @; l4 e3 v
No matter how seemingly insignificant" w* H: U! {3 v
Changes the course of the lives
$ D! h! C9 C$ E2 B' K% F2 c Of those we touch.? - ~; d- V/ N3 l& Y3 y6 J
& m/ M v" ]- `7 { And when the icy winds of death& h! A, u m/ U) X: {0 n
beckon our lasting attention
8 @: N2 z! q1 S2 t7 V I% r! b We will gently leave this life % A2 w! [1 c/ _
With the knowledge that , i- I1 F& x# b
because of that one pebble 4 M/ k, b+ ~3 b7 E% d
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …) _9 o& k0 f+ c% r& [% y3 T. b/ A
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Ross Rosenberg+ u r0 R0 w& c8 D/ u8 M. o1 c1 P
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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