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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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: z1 Z( @1 h: m; 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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Heaven# J% p z7 [4 p/ x9 o: F
The pebble is worn smooth
# u( f7 l" P/ n$ n Made small over time' `7 e3 R: s/ c s
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
- q1 t* V. u9 ^0 m! t; I A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock1 V7 a0 d- ]7 C* M$ v! n* C
An accidental offspring of a boulder " r+ k# P) h8 S; f1 E9 f
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
1 ] y0 w* ?1 Y+ N+ l Is neither understood nor appreciated
) o A' O, _5 X: E6 K But when thrown into a glassy calm pond % a) o$ o; |% [6 |
Its insignificance is transformed G, \5 Z' [: u- Y
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
9 ^* ?' d/ _8 F4 [! k+ \ Its signature of concentric ripples
) W8 n$ w# D# H Spiral outwards 1 X+ ?' c4 i+ } R
Moving far beyond itself.
5 F& t) F# ]. p8 U* ]0 m Gently affecting everything in its wake8 {/ k- W C( ^% ^* X
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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# d" Q# n& ^* n3 s* Y& g; p) m y! a The pebble creates its worth and meaning
6 J6 [& R& o: r By unleashing its unimagined power? 7 S/ N* R% Q2 \; f
Into a dueling force of action and reaction5 h1 M9 } w/ F) ?
Creating karmic energy
/ ?/ O* J" y, s% x' z Producing lasting and fluid impressions.5 t2 b" z# o& ?4 g4 | w* {. s
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Aren't we all pebbles?
: ~7 C: ?9 e- d# f% c" O; r Feeling small and insignificant6 F7 t% c% N7 \7 t2 J- O
But ultimately recognizing + K, B$ X& E7 R8 t- j
That who we are meant to be
4 m3 R0 N R, A5 U$ t- r, d1 o Can never be measured in isolation
2 `) p7 W$ E }. @9 G; ~ on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
9 }1 i6 ~( M& ~* t: @# j Our everlasting future 7 ]8 f$ k) `0 L0 c
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
' ?2 o3 \$ C4 E6 ^4 ~0 j3 C0 ` Into the pond of life( J3 o/ }+ x" B2 x
Creating ripples
Y. {3 o c/ y& ^ that leave unique mark on our world 3 [3 _/ d1 M2 O! s$ B6 C
Not because of thoughts
' X4 U* W$ J, ?/ L7 z9 D$ E not because of well meaning plans
, y8 p& ]$ A9 `0 V) w$ b$ |3 I* c But because of actions. , w$ Q! R( D; V$ s! {: d5 }
7 M/ r+ O; J* J# v# Q* c Our life's prayers our answered
6 H$ t1 M8 Y( ]! Z. o% [/ G, ~3 w7 J Because even the smallest pebble
; }8 U1 ^$ l: { No matter how seemingly insignificant
6 o* n3 H# d& y Changes the course of the lives
8 B g- o- o; x) Z" z" f6 W Of those we touch.?
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2 E5 A; {# Y) H l# S And when the icy winds of death
' u# p3 r0 _9 _: l beckon our lasting attention" k3 o [2 S1 s. p6 h1 b0 ^# _* L
We will gently leave this life + i6 f+ w w# b3 G* ~- G/ N2 ^
With the knowledge that
j: }5 O. z. W y: j3 u4 a because of that one pebble * w! e/ s) J7 E
The world will never be the same.
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! j" U6 z9 X) c9 E, S5 g# { And then we have heaven …
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# S+ F: _& Y; m: D* U Ross Rosenberg
# O/ a6 y3 U. r6 ~- y$ v$ W4 W 8/18/03 |
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