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Heaven

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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36 | 显示全部楼层 |阅读模式
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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. & t1 q, R! p& B3 o! P! T2 a

, L5 z5 }2 E: @# t8 c' J0 Q) }& m 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.
. W( E" O% A) x2 C- R6 B
0 N# a3 ~  i$ ~1 Q Heaven
2 ~. G9 c' |: g8 \ The pebble is worn smooth + R3 y/ i8 J4 t7 V: c
Made small over time
2 M8 O1 ~4 a2 o( }( i2 o4 n A product of a cataclysmic force of nature3 y- B. X0 @" Z! d' c* X* I( g
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock* |1 D" V0 ~; p0 K
An accidental offspring of a boulder
  {" J  p- @9 W4 U' h9 u But just a very small stone.   z, x. v$ b" H# p# ]  t
& Y7 f  F5 f" x6 x4 O4 g
The pebble's place in our world
3 g$ n9 O& Q6 Q3 N" E7 q Is neither understood nor appreciated
5 H- k* \5 K+ N% { But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 3 Z5 ?, K5 ]& K
Its insignificance is transformed
' ^1 b$ M' G0 n2 Z Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
+ l( p  \3 e1 o" [3 \7 H3 z% L4 W0 D
2 B# x+ B0 P  K  o4 v8 Q8 y% m The instant the pebble kisses the pond0 ?  O% D% p' s8 ?  {( ~
Its signature of concentric ripples $ w( N& e5 S5 n$ f; f
Spiral outwards
! r/ h8 v' }! {$ s$ _0 d Moving far beyond itself.% l6 \8 i! B' e5 B1 O: N: G
Gently affecting everything in its wake
- [+ q  L6 ^; b1 j Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
: v, @# q" C3 H
% u! Y7 m9 P5 {  e( s  L4 b The pebble creates its worth and meaning 2 S" X; M, S0 O. Z1 y
By unleashing its unimagined power?
3 W5 h$ T! _$ H4 s1 d/ C Into a dueling force of action and reaction; \) k$ @: }: D3 m) N. F: P; p! S; N
Creating karmic energy
$ k) c; i9 U/ d  h Producing lasting and fluid impressions.6 ]( x9 Z( E4 M. O
3 d- n: J* t( u! `! }( O  v
Aren't we all pebbles?. A6 @2 d& S  H" `
Feeling small and insignificant
. h! ~3 |3 e2 p9 W+ w% t4 E But ultimately recognizing
0 q! m7 \' w( s  O7 R That who we are meant to be( U5 d# ^7 K1 z% e6 u
Can never be measured in isolation% k7 T5 S9 j( |, }2 N
on a path into ourselves.# R* \' I. P0 q* l0 v

3 d, @% q6 X" D; t It is true then:
+ f9 i! p$ b0 m& e: e' T; B Our everlasting future 2 ?& W0 y" ~; I  n" M
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles  q% {/ X: F! q/ Q1 K7 H4 K/ A: Q
Into the pond of life# P: y3 I' d+ H' Q
Creating ripples ! Q4 Z9 H- K: F  N- A/ m
that leave unique mark on our world / T9 T( L# R( Y. c4 c! d8 D1 a
Not because of thoughts ) O8 n) s% T# X4 W7 `, t4 D" G& e
not because of well meaning plans
. O! c5 N5 V0 d# \* r But because of actions. 8 g( }8 Z! Q7 r& j& F- `
4 y; \6 a; o4 {* F- |, g% A
Our life's prayers our answered9 w  G! P" y5 X2 ?  P# m; b
Because even the smallest pebble
! J9 |; l$ x$ e) c' V( `4 o No matter how seemingly insignificant; M& z% v) A  T- t
Changes the course of the lives* W0 W" |" W: N# E7 D
Of those we touch.?
5 I% n$ A) h9 s1 V/ D! Q( C % C( i% e0 d, _* s  }
And when the icy winds of death/ H' ~6 O1 I3 |' k; U6 ?! Q
beckon our lasting attention
& ]: P9 r# {0 X( Z4 M We will gently leave this life " r" H+ `  m' n
With the knowledge that
% x; E* N0 Y$ n* i+ ~$ w1 [ because of that one pebble
3 V/ |) h' F4 O+ N/ K. a The world will never be the same.
" ~9 @" G: o! O6 L8 X / M7 m5 t! `; b( Y& t
And then we have heaven …
" X7 ^& ~' G5 ]
: ~  v3 h$ P* r& v: t Ross Rosenberg9 a3 G3 ?. x9 G. ^0 Y0 q
8/18/03
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