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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. & c; m3 r8 k9 n9 X' Z
' B0 S2 ?7 H1 h% P 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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$ ~! A+ Q5 A: D, Q& |' P Heaven, n: P. g+ d5 z1 O" q2 g
The pebble is worn smooth 4 H( V0 e5 R) n' }1 g0 W
Made small over time
" q$ I2 P2 J) F- q" m+ C; q A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
7 ^# o$ B) q" U7 j9 f, O A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
, ~ b' g2 l% M) R! l/ o An accidental offspring of a boulder
$ P7 ~8 N3 v: Y2 s" X+ \( E! P But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
# `- }; u( N% G! D2 U0 x" G- w Is neither understood nor appreciated
7 V0 R$ q; F/ W But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
7 O% H; A: q p n Its insignificance is transformed" `. \: M- K# F/ v: h
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond: ?1 @7 F# t/ h: h; \
Its signature of concentric ripples & F' P0 }! ?5 f
Spiral outwards " p6 D- M" f9 L' ?3 Q' ]
Moving far beyond itself.
T# L P7 x3 w4 V( T; @ Gently affecting everything in its wake4 U/ O0 L( f4 ^
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
0 m# @/ D/ \8 U0 B& v9 Z" Q7 c By unleashing its unimagined power?
; D+ C* v0 }. L, S" P% O9 b Into a dueling force of action and reaction/ ~1 D: G4 I: \* x3 @
Creating karmic energy
, c" U" I* ~2 ? Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?% E7 Z0 H6 J9 |* x7 `' y4 Z
Feeling small and insignificant: R' u4 V' C6 b) H$ O6 v
But ultimately recognizing . c c2 y, l: K3 J7 ^
That who we are meant to be2 Q; N, E3 |* h% ~4 V3 p
Can never be measured in isolation- B; m2 J( a* u) `$ s. S
on a path into ourselves.' r H/ n: n* m2 D( y& t
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It is true then:% j& E i9 @$ O
Our everlasting future
1 a5 U) D( E, J Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
% g* D P6 ^- y$ R" p9 H Into the pond of life1 ]' P& H6 A: N" ?, b# @- I2 M
Creating ripples
# K) y9 P% k! S/ t o/ {7 X& | that leave unique mark on our world - _8 @$ u. R: i3 p5 s6 L Q
Not because of thoughts
& b5 c6 C& x( A. _, n5 a not because of well meaning plans3 `9 r4 o- s' T. a
But because of actions.
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6 H. g; L4 c6 { H( f. G2 }) z Our life's prayers our answered1 [. B- \6 V4 {
Because even the smallest pebble
2 v: W0 Z K4 P/ V No matter how seemingly insignificant& h% t( x3 d( ~; B
Changes the course of the lives
( `; q; }" [6 A3 x$ c9 S Of those we touch.? ( v& J' c" O# v$ T" d$ A7 b- T. i
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And when the icy winds of death* v& ]% i0 ^3 _1 ^+ y6 ^
beckon our lasting attention
) K. b0 F/ ?" M5 q/ l, z- C2 d We will gently leave this life
4 x$ w7 B& ?* C' ?9 g! N% { With the knowledge that ' k1 v1 F4 Y' f; h/ S$ {
because of that one pebble r5 R, Y4 E0 z7 H+ c
The world will never be the same.. R2 ?1 ^# _8 {6 f% p+ R
1 z0 g5 j9 y8 [2 R1 e0 m0 ~' g And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg N& n, P3 E! b& E
8/18/03 |
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