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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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* C# @( v C, ~: 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.
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, c- F4 b+ @* s, ^" Z Heaven2 ?( ]; O" b4 _
The pebble is worn smooth 7 D. B- m; J5 j
Made small over time6 S: ^! _" F9 d! W7 h6 F
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature* K, j( O8 E, ?8 S1 W- f) T
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
d1 B1 M! d2 c- e. Q An accidental offspring of a boulder # \0 g" Y/ f/ E! r3 n" d1 Q7 {9 m
But just a very small stone. ( N/ k6 K; I+ p* z9 c6 ~( |. L
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The pebble's place in our world
: V/ |1 T( @- X" ] Is neither understood nor appreciated* b5 F' E8 N, f3 W. K8 T
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 5 E0 w! p2 f0 B: p7 p i7 x
Its insignificance is transformed
1 @- h" B+ A0 Y0 V2 a5 N Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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& j0 `2 v' C! H- {. K" @ The instant the pebble kisses the pond0 a3 S8 B2 S( X
Its signature of concentric ripples * G! k, h* k* E |! d3 D+ n) D
Spiral outwards
w4 G h' a( J$ H8 `/ Q# n& E8 }: \ Moving far beyond itself.
; w3 ?& y8 E9 G Gently affecting everything in its wake
$ S$ k$ e# f" Z) p) n3 k$ ?) J( a Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning 8 H3 P; a4 G. W3 D1 P( c
By unleashing its unimagined power?
1 n; s# l- A S: G4 E5 A- | Into a dueling force of action and reaction/ j* A' m1 _, \" a E/ h# q3 z- L
Creating karmic energy3 C6 ~: {( O! O" D$ q5 k
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.& ]9 N" ~1 [* C$ l, l6 G! L
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Aren't we all pebbles?
- [9 K3 N9 }. m: O/ g Feeling small and insignificant
- h$ |+ C/ j, @2 F But ultimately recognizing 9 t" a/ b, L+ @6 I! v% v5 v
That who we are meant to be
3 q% {, q. S, [2 y2 p Can never be measured in isolation1 x. w7 l; ]3 r0 e, ?. W5 Y/ L% y
on a path into ourselves.
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% n0 b) ]1 a% S- U) B W8 X It is true then:
. ~7 h2 n( k4 t9 A; A- u Our everlasting future
: E! l# k K$ z1 D) y2 _7 s% P Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
* G' p" x8 K2 j/ R3 K" N Into the pond of life' i3 _; a8 J1 v! j3 n# T' Y: u
Creating ripples
& I$ t' c; \0 k; A/ k- b( s that leave unique mark on our world : o% N1 ^3 ` Z* T' V
Not because of thoughts
" n; ]; b. I) E/ M* ` not because of well meaning plans9 i4 w6 _9 }$ c9 \# a# X% Y# ?: t. N4 G
But because of actions.
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* V& p5 O9 [4 `' n" y( Z$ K! ] Our life's prayers our answered
0 W9 e1 T7 n5 V. k5 A: _1 h Because even the smallest pebble 2 c4 z w3 g; c
No matter how seemingly insignificant2 e+ _) q" h6 k0 o w' {
Changes the course of the lives: g9 X3 F. w8 J# ^- R6 y
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
! M; ^ |/ N, v% U* n% [) P2 \6 s beckon our lasting attention
7 Q# ?+ C6 K1 ^, p We will gently leave this life
2 x& d: [/ e* R3 J5 r7 W- G With the knowledge that + v J1 T) r. w% m; k
because of that one pebble
2 N+ u, C' z; X& ? The world will never be the same." z& k0 t' z( P! H- Y. K8 J [5 m& w' U
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
4 P8 c, {7 B7 n6 L 8/18/03 |
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