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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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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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P! E% l. I% t Heaven8 h6 t" G. z A1 `6 P& i) |
The pebble is worn smooth
# ]3 G' j! K, R( p Made small over time
) m b" @+ }/ n+ Z1 o% B A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
W5 o4 @8 a- A' x q& N$ R1 P A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
4 K8 J; @2 ^* {2 c& m) |! o$ \' U An accidental offspring of a boulder ) _- F" F$ B$ J, N5 y# ?" h K1 I
But just a very small stone.
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" Q) F+ V2 D; [# Z2 K/ S The pebble's place in our world 2 z; `7 y. k% E! K0 l" i
Is neither understood nor appreciated
; G7 q0 |/ n& o3 R3 I But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
# P' F; g1 b! L0 r2 k! S. B Its insignificance is transformed1 h' D! F. W8 J4 R# d4 R2 v
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed." w s2 l8 o% {2 i, p3 F* g
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond+ {7 ?* h% c" h" f, S
Its signature of concentric ripples
, G8 O4 P ~; t( Q- \& B% g5 d7 n Spiral outwards
7 _, W% ]* [& q! a- z! O Moving far beyond itself.
9 X5 V5 ]+ v8 T8 I7 \7 Z" L Gently affecting everything in its wake- r/ m: z, H0 k& d: G" i n4 E
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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% ?+ ]- H8 V- m2 I The pebble creates its worth and meaning
) Q# N5 W! W7 `5 Y9 K8 f By unleashing its unimagined power?
. S2 _$ I; p! a6 B: c, S Into a dueling force of action and reaction' z% N1 L. y) }' y
Creating karmic energy
4 k2 l8 E) N. z. {# S0 B& o Producing lasting and fluid impressions. S1 J0 d% a) r" {% w& P# W- I
. L; W* B8 E* B Aren't we all pebbles?
1 ^6 ^4 F/ z7 n Y2 o Feeling small and insignificant
( y, F5 `' { O: G( x1 u But ultimately recognizing
5 ^* W+ C$ i$ j/ R( w$ G9 ^0 I That who we are meant to be
8 v2 ^( h( ?! L/ X7 g Can never be measured in isolation) J9 x9 ^7 i( s2 G
on a path into ourselves.
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9 X N" P/ l' A2 k3 b$ r9 |" N It is true then:0 s/ J9 F( N3 j/ J s
Our everlasting future * J/ V- M3 k: o% H$ h/ T, ~
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
* q' M% }9 D8 F0 w9 N% X Into the pond of life
/ [1 G. P% E" V1 z Creating ripples ) A+ h. m1 h4 ?9 b! {1 \
that leave unique mark on our world
9 f+ ~, w3 @7 I5 J- e, Y; i; \ Not because of thoughts |! z: |# @( ]/ ?" W! M/ `5 x) E. z
not because of well meaning plans
: v2 Q" E9 D7 n, R4 \. I But because of actions.
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2 B2 }/ k- t* g' C4 e. Y# r Our life's prayers our answered0 \+ {, N5 _! s) M- T6 k( r. d
Because even the smallest pebble ( ]# L" S3 r# _9 `5 D' z
No matter how seemingly insignificant
# Y! j8 t' ` B, Z4 d Changes the course of the lives t, ` w1 _! n
Of those we touch.? 4 v& o$ x) i4 c* }# Q* c
( l; h% w5 Q* u* G And when the icy winds of death4 `3 N5 @( v, x4 \% I
beckon our lasting attention* D. f6 \. H# Y, B
We will gently leave this life 6 Q# r& A: O2 Z* q2 |& i
With the knowledge that , ?8 ~# ]: ]+ M4 v4 p- g# G
because of that one pebble / p$ C0 ^" X h0 ~
The world will never be the same.8 | m0 B" B# C% u$ v0 f5 W# j6 f
! }0 n7 u; \& b/ s And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
6 F% K: n, {9 c6 U 8/18/03 |
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