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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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]4 g9 d, `! c* o) N 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.) Q1 h, V+ r% [; V
0 Z6 `9 T9 T. X Heaven
1 I: H ? O4 J& S The pebble is worn smooth
. [( D: B: {' u9 M* B# [+ W, l% i Made small over time9 e3 U* v3 C$ B/ E- n
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
/ Z" j3 G+ p/ Z; o5 W- O+ ` A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock. S0 p* p3 \0 ?% T/ K
An accidental offspring of a boulder % y8 K8 i* ~6 l
But just a very small stone.
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+ T p& @& z4 R' p- w* i0 W% S The pebble's place in our world : Z% E2 G: f2 h, O* S* l! [( s; f- j* u ?! \
Is neither understood nor appreciated3 g6 D- g# v. N: _5 s
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
5 r" C0 G8 s7 u. _ Its insignificance is transformed* a: A' [' V/ F3 }" l2 _7 z
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.5 w) T* ~9 I$ a; s
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
# k H7 n% H' n6 H [/ `+ |' H Its signature of concentric ripples
! k+ E, H4 @; c Spiral outwards
& K, x' _, T( g: d0 ?2 g Moving far beyond itself.
) ~5 ~) N Q1 V7 _- r* }; a Gently affecting everything in its wake+ |' L) `0 |, N. k
Forever altering the smooth placid surface." v# T. a2 _! Q& G* {$ r# I9 B
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning & Y2 F( o2 S, I% m
By unleashing its unimagined power? 0 g. t9 [+ E' {' _% |
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
- l+ T! z' c/ ], @: M0 W# L Creating karmic energy1 Q7 ^; W4 x8 B* t* J' i3 ^& Z" k
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.7 x* L9 F8 R" U: J1 ?+ ?% j H
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Aren't we all pebbles?
5 o9 {; v& H( g4 ~ K" \8 v Feeling small and insignificant
: M! \8 \; I7 t' _7 | But ultimately recognizing
W3 u2 B3 i. h! J That who we are meant to be
6 Y7 h6 t1 n# I- g$ Y Can never be measured in isolation
' [' `# r, e8 m9 T, ~# l' O on a path into ourselves.2 J: e) `: B" d7 D& L8 R
/ ?$ H8 `6 E' M5 S+ p2 O j3 o It is true then:
% S; X$ B' l; }9 _ Our everlasting future
+ p2 h6 X$ D1 L$ I" P: p6 m Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles# U$ w) O# f9 o5 ?1 _0 z) E* V
Into the pond of life" s" r6 @' c! e) P/ }6 x
Creating ripples
8 |. u) A# d1 R3 x7 s# c that leave unique mark on our world % q: k9 n6 I' d d: I/ w" [4 \
Not because of thoughts
/ a7 q G8 F$ `0 s6 {9 G' ^ not because of well meaning plans) h) _# `4 k1 O g
But because of actions. & _0 s" C* ^6 }3 h; B- W4 ]+ A. |
" q: R* w9 ^, c# \ Our life's prayers our answered# r( O& y( |# Y9 i
Because even the smallest pebble : _3 `/ s D& K5 ~0 {. V2 P3 r) q
No matter how seemingly insignificant( n3 Q& s' ~5 E
Changes the course of the lives
1 r2 U: u1 o0 l& g: n# `! t2 Q Of those we touch.?
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$ ^# w/ a0 ^2 P5 [0 D And when the icy winds of death2 @5 y. J7 f9 r9 ]! }9 F
beckon our lasting attention
$ k) J! f( R! r6 S1 B We will gently leave this life 8 C3 g1 u% w6 s
With the knowledge that
& @5 w V) V: \2 P: K4 v/ e because of that one pebble
: I% Y+ r2 L3 m( U/ r, } The world will never be the same.1 c3 F4 E W8 m3 `0 T
% g) \3 |1 T' I7 w; b6 U And then we have heaven …9 u1 \, J4 a) r' c
! }7 ?4 i$ r+ F4 @7 _
Ross Rosenberg
0 t: N4 R' c. A 8/18/03 |
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