 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.
; Y* m1 o t9 }( s1 U5 {8 U2 m: l 0 ]0 D* y: @* Y+ I9 z! u/ |
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.
: g" p* O1 N2 ?$ _ t# L6 Z 2 P( W! P& B# T. C( `6 [6 S5 O8 C
Heaven
" Z6 s5 a6 ?% b' T* ~ y The pebble is worn smooth ' }! d& o4 {- H$ a. k; F
Made small over time2 T3 K+ C) N7 Y
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
# T$ o4 V( l0 {4 k A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
" d, ^& h$ |/ d% j& G4 d P An accidental offspring of a boulder
7 {6 M0 b/ G( S, Z; x; ` But just a very small stone.
. m% u: }4 p ]; m7 T
7 M/ M* R! i- A8 ~4 q The pebble's place in our world
/ r2 _8 ]3 f- S+ A' o3 L Is neither understood nor appreciated
2 u+ h8 R/ P/ E: K But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
* P/ z d' U; u6 G Its insignificance is transformed3 B- }$ |5 H; z* e$ I0 t
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
6 s% u# G3 Z9 B( K. m* \0 s9 l/ L' y * D* h( \$ t# }/ V& g% U% E
The instant the pebble kisses the pond+ B3 b w- I: _3 N
Its signature of concentric ripples " _9 @1 z" h- X4 A. z) i$ ^/ ^4 g0 e
Spiral outwards 3 w4 t V8 G9 m& l9 D
Moving far beyond itself.
7 z1 O$ ~9 X* v2 @4 B. H/ l) C Gently affecting everything in its wake
* D( i1 V9 W$ ?, ^" Q# y: J, m Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
! V7 R. J/ V0 Z 9 j4 Y `% P4 x7 a& F% }
The pebble creates its worth and meaning ; N2 f0 H" D+ s) }$ G6 Y
By unleashing its unimagined power?
8 X3 H& k7 `, F3 o [" J2 O! ]8 k, E Into a dueling force of action and reaction& ?& D) J8 J6 j& g8 o3 R7 \
Creating karmic energy5 p6 z; S% ?4 D- `0 j# {* Q K& y
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.% K, K' D2 t# o; u
g- [ {" u2 N' W* P Aren't we all pebbles?
8 t1 t9 y7 k0 @' H Feeling small and insignificant
7 t' Y# p" [5 Z7 j% k) |4 u$ C) h But ultimately recognizing
+ L$ o/ W+ L/ N- q9 L$ u4 R That who we are meant to be
) Y0 r. G7 K8 }+ V# y Can never be measured in isolation3 [ }. W+ `. q% K7 H& _) b" `
on a path into ourselves./ Z/ Y- Q) W3 U+ A
" }! T" u6 g, m. ~% J! { It is true then:
" w1 v/ h8 H/ n! ~+ e+ ? Our everlasting future " L3 l R' n8 T$ h0 S
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles0 L8 d- H& L. M8 L
Into the pond of life. Z+ _' `' _9 h3 r; i
Creating ripples 6 T: U5 L) }6 r' H; d- I2 w
that leave unique mark on our world
/ {3 I+ y3 R! g, H6 N: b Not because of thoughts
6 U V: q: U+ z' o not because of well meaning plans1 y$ E6 v. S4 \3 o
But because of actions.
4 _+ q ~. N8 n c+ G
- v- g. S5 v! C5 G. v1 L Our life's prayers our answered* ]1 X+ i1 G* B5 O3 r9 o% A. ~4 j- S
Because even the smallest pebble
0 t3 ]: z5 r% T$ p* C* E No matter how seemingly insignificant
5 `/ r4 Q* f* W/ V Changes the course of the lives
6 t$ L9 D: l0 o) } Of those we touch.? " h! ]; e. }; G0 U0 o: C
I1 P8 j0 _( u$ S X. I
And when the icy winds of death) J( V4 [9 Z0 D8 L F2 \
beckon our lasting attention) i; X: K4 I' J/ B
We will gently leave this life
" l5 M3 x$ L5 B3 |/ C7 ^ With the knowledge that Y" {% A8 v; s, z3 H, E8 R* [
because of that one pebble ' j6 g$ J+ d, w6 q& P9 v$ B
The world will never be the same.
8 x p; F7 [) M, a2 o 8 `2 c( U' w4 f6 g
And then we have heaven …$ I4 [+ s. t$ U' O) a1 l8 H% I4 u
. _2 Q+ w' @2 B q& ^
Ross Rosenberg
3 q$ c- T. F6 |5 ~+ _" Y; @ 8/18/03 |
|