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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. 9 y0 i# W7 Y" \/ h9 Q* `" d
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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; Y7 R! c; q5 S! c8 P/ o3 i
The pebble is worn smooth
' n$ N; T5 a. s: Z$ s2 n# l$ d Made small over time/ O5 Z' H8 m6 \- I$ S! f) Y/ R0 e
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature' H. K1 u4 ]# I
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
" x# O" W) e, B An accidental offspring of a boulder 3 ?' B5 s; G, A* L0 v/ \
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world ; }9 h3 U) A( U B( ^% j `
Is neither understood nor appreciated# I' i& W4 V4 f
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
' {2 A; \/ E2 V% k- Q0 K6 k% M! V Its insignificance is transformed
! ^6 A2 y6 A# N: _$ n( r, h3 e Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.; X+ s* Q% u0 F1 j8 B; z
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
; F6 n6 ^( Z' v8 K& e Its signature of concentric ripples
$ w) I3 Y$ s# R, ~ Spiral outwards ' `4 I0 w2 Z3 \: P, V! `
Moving far beyond itself.
# r6 ~1 A. U. U Gently affecting everything in its wake+ V8 @4 T* [+ @7 O
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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. [& g+ z9 H0 X+ p& j4 p The pebble creates its worth and meaning
8 I1 K, s! b+ Y# m7 k8 p. y By unleashing its unimagined power?
6 G. A x* y7 o! k Into a dueling force of action and reaction
- s1 S1 i9 u" z1 O x0 e( n. ~ Creating karmic energy
9 q. } B) k7 @ Producing lasting and fluid impressions. |- A" b, d" _$ J: y4 s
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Aren't we all pebbles?- b: ?$ o* L9 X% U
Feeling small and insignificant0 T5 e2 s# M' o9 y
But ultimately recognizing 2 Q. j$ X! n+ E$ J a6 |- n& r1 l
That who we are meant to be6 n$ p5 \6 T9 p" e8 o
Can never be measured in isolation4 @8 y# o0 G: D, u
on a path into ourselves.% E! Y/ {) H% e" _$ b4 w: L0 _
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It is true then:' ^. Q& _$ s& r5 P$ H
Our everlasting future 8 w3 X7 d/ r; P! n! G
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' k9 g* ~$ X9 ?4 T0 U4 {2 m Into the pond of life
. ?0 D. L2 ^4 e4 [2 r' ]0 y Creating ripples 4 E& q7 l! Y' Q
that leave unique mark on our world
- }- l1 Y& H# H; T Not because of thoughts
8 J6 F7 t9 e7 @- i, z not because of well meaning plans
) s' ]! C& ~. ^4 ` But because of actions. & F1 \0 i) n, I% U2 u, V
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Our life's prayers our answered j; O b/ T5 m5 k1 p
Because even the smallest pebble . G j" j' e) p/ \* \" c
No matter how seemingly insignificant) {6 Q- U. ^# L
Changes the course of the lives
3 x2 I, q5 M9 _* Z5 B# ^ Of those we touch.? : i$ c/ `+ S- W! }+ X8 a' k+ T9 L+ |
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And when the icy winds of death
1 R& Y: Y# ]8 Z ?$ E3 s2 c6 a beckon our lasting attention
2 W6 E5 G; p1 F% T# i9 J) }7 j; p1 W" x We will gently leave this life
) `% {. ^* W# S( o/ G With the knowledge that 7 Q2 F& r- F6 ~7 n( l; K+ H! p
because of that one pebble
4 O/ W9 B/ C4 S# |' w# q The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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5 a+ \/ j! l8 ~& B Ross Rosenberg3 z: Y& ]/ u9 C( ^0 X5 W" j& U
8/18/03 |
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