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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. , N% A N- d( v! L. E2 Z
6 H; D: t) ]% ^+ L: B3 E 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" G* V9 L) t1 _% p3 K; y2 H( ?4 Y Heaven8 Y% g0 o3 N7 @- L8 k6 B, V
The pebble is worn smooth 5 l1 J& r. Q" H" E
Made small over time7 |5 F; ^, I" A7 K* l3 A) E
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature( c- J5 W+ H$ U* l3 K8 y
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock" C \( s! y# m. u# k
An accidental offspring of a boulder
# f; V# S/ i1 g( A r( B But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world + T: [7 { X6 v( C4 ?& ^
Is neither understood nor appreciated
! g9 F# O# L+ S4 S. T7 H% P/ l But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
4 ~; F8 K& c4 @1 v Its insignificance is transformed8 U/ Y! l* g! G' X7 b: f+ Z& ?
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed./ s4 Q0 D4 n3 {( N' g; }
m+ T* {: K1 P) J The instant the pebble kisses the pond- f3 Y. C2 O" f- I) \. c
Its signature of concentric ripples ! J. \" a8 w$ e" C: L/ s
Spiral outwards
/ B* o4 b4 T2 F4 L9 { Moving far beyond itself.
2 h8 t _1 W8 W! F* [4 x Y2 E Gently affecting everything in its wake
* ?- X- G+ m. e- _* H3 R Forever altering the smooth placid surface.9 k; |5 x& i7 ]/ C4 h
4 t) }7 o* ^3 n9 z* G( O The pebble creates its worth and meaning
' S; b7 O3 X; R/ c( V8 S By unleashing its unimagined power?
+ j* b& D1 Q7 S2 x$ R% x Into a dueling force of action and reaction
' ^1 O6 f* U; \ Creating karmic energy/ u8 q; R) M5 B7 H5 {: i
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.- k2 y( Q3 t+ |) x" D
* }0 i& i# f8 I+ Y* o$ a Aren't we all pebbles?
' q. I0 w7 e2 K6 o Feeling small and insignificant- D p: H7 a$ T H; v: d1 F) p
But ultimately recognizing
( G m {8 d3 H6 {9 x2 k That who we are meant to be3 I7 [* [: e& z' o6 N7 P. E2 B0 y
Can never be measured in isolation
4 u/ {5 O8 J! {& J" o- z) o' z on a path into ourselves.3 r, _+ i7 I0 s; O. X# v0 l) q
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It is true then:
/ g9 |5 f, e" [: K Our everlasting future
) I9 ?6 u8 @1 i; x Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles* b4 M8 Y% f0 i' {# }- K# _/ B* g; B
Into the pond of life7 j5 M, C* y$ ]2 J( t
Creating ripples 5 b# a3 C; b. ^3 E; M
that leave unique mark on our world
: |# ~/ i) R1 y8 Q! t' }1 @ Not because of thoughts
: C& W" W: R3 \/ b* D+ f, D not because of well meaning plans
% h3 X8 r8 Q, A But because of actions. 0 O0 ^: X S: V, ?
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Our life's prayers our answered
; G7 M+ C; y; c( P( a/ W: i Because even the smallest pebble 2 p4 ]! F) w" L
No matter how seemingly insignificant; z. g- n2 C' @" m, h
Changes the course of the lives9 `) i' |+ n m/ S& a/ w
Of those we touch.? & u7 X* Q4 W, o4 W% P
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And when the icy winds of death
0 M! {- i6 i9 a1 y4 M8 T2 f, S beckon our lasting attention
' |# G" g4 d& b6 ^1 }! U We will gently leave this life
+ S- d" w& r8 w; e- Z4 _, `+ ?5 D With the knowledge that " D6 ^9 V2 w3 q( ^9 @; w* }( L) ]. [
because of that one pebble $ H: L1 r5 X- A% c$ @. `
The world will never be the same.. }- b% S7 t" ^+ X$ J
* ]* [& a% i' b* a And then we have heaven …2 }. X5 a# @3 B( I9 q6 L% h% {
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Ross Rosenberg% w; G/ B! D4 [7 B/ p
8/18/03 |
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