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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. ( h I* p% o7 k% i$ X" Y
/ l4 m* O* S5 y1 m/ m. w 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.5 P7 Z4 Z: T. Q0 g& H. Y& b
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Heaven
h( q: q. q: ?0 I& V* ] The pebble is worn smooth
; {1 X! L* d+ \$ t Made small over time
3 ~% p) t4 w+ _$ ` A product of a cataclysmic force of nature# r* I3 X1 g8 ~: g% p
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock V4 y5 b: \7 x& R1 d$ j0 X3 x
An accidental offspring of a boulder
6 l6 a ^5 \: b: g+ Y But just a very small stone.
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3 O: \- W, z0 p& Z% R0 x% _ The pebble's place in our world
' J) z4 y8 j$ C Is neither understood nor appreciated
6 ~0 Z( F) H( l, Z But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 3 E6 |% X) }& l' ]9 F7 P, U7 L
Its insignificance is transformed; I4 H0 O' }- y9 o8 s3 w% g1 X, q0 ?
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.# B0 z- A: x5 j7 ?2 Y" @/ ?
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
& I6 b4 ?6 b, `- V, X" T D( c Its signature of concentric ripples
% @; Z4 }* A8 o) X4 O Spiral outwards / ?3 q5 r4 n( g; E3 v2 W2 J& i; c) [! {
Moving far beyond itself.
2 u9 b x1 Y I8 f Gently affecting everything in its wake
( z5 R$ u9 z; l+ b8 b Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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0 t/ F' `. ?% h& }6 k The pebble creates its worth and meaning
( D4 S) a( ~' a, M" J/ V1 O By unleashing its unimagined power? & v1 \7 t& D2 M: @
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
* q1 q! u5 y3 X+ `9 k Creating karmic energy* W' h: e" }, A' b4 Z" ^2 F+ U& W
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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Aren't we all pebbles?
7 E# E2 U h* k% A( v* P Feeling small and insignificant
4 w. i! J0 a0 P9 [. H# o But ultimately recognizing " U0 B* Z9 @1 m% T% B+ z* H
That who we are meant to be6 i$ e0 V6 ?1 g b# a
Can never be measured in isolation
% D9 U5 x; s4 e on a path into ourselves.
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1 t" @2 x+ Q# Z% B7 E8 h It is true then:
& y% X' r+ O' B$ [ Our everlasting future 2 J( k: n* g- [2 |3 Y/ Z
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles1 R6 J& a; c% E0 `( b* W4 u& N6 b
Into the pond of life) g( Z ?7 O1 R% Z8 S
Creating ripples
" ] p, m* X9 c: Y$ i% W that leave unique mark on our world
2 l; E4 Y" x9 O Not because of thoughts " h! C2 ~! y4 ^% G; Y G/ p" c
not because of well meaning plans3 X# j2 K" R5 x y: Y
But because of actions. 5 Y+ _4 b8 `, O4 p
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Our life's prayers our answered
; L9 Y6 c# k5 `' t( F Because even the smallest pebble 6 }+ i# l* {. E5 y8 t
No matter how seemingly insignificant% \( ~5 Q4 w7 v) W% m' v
Changes the course of the lives1 h3 x1 o) h4 X2 z2 y5 d
Of those we touch.?
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( {' \3 Y6 b4 x; g And when the icy winds of death
- Y/ k& f1 }8 b" `0 s+ f/ J' ]+ Y4 i beckon our lasting attention$ V# |" ]5 }& `8 ?4 ]& f* U$ [1 }
We will gently leave this life
( Q6 W4 X+ Q. z With the knowledge that
! _4 N! q2 m6 |4 [/ X5 G because of that one pebble , P8 q3 T' B" U H; d L
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …4 N# B% W# {9 N" S2 l& s
3 j/ G+ F3 ]# d3 y Ross Rosenberg
) l$ \* p9 y5 [- J" |7 b9 J 8/18/03 |
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