 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
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. $ ~* l' m$ X% c. |
4 |9 U3 ?* x: x9 v5 ^& Q7 K 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.
5 W& p0 e, b: |% ~
2 Y9 s5 I2 ~" d f. R+ P0 g6 n Heaven
4 x9 t: \. C' i" g! e5 \ The pebble is worn smooth
+ d/ w' I1 R0 r; h0 S; z& ~ Made small over time
2 n9 Z* R4 ]! z& L A product of a cataclysmic force of nature S8 y6 w! M Z; {* L# N
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
. o! v9 I' h* x% K* v6 g1 p An accidental offspring of a boulder , u V' L8 s. ~
But just a very small stone.
6 \5 z3 U5 R+ A $ t, r3 q! B& s( m8 ~# I; N& s4 M2 z
The pebble's place in our world
& U' x. z! } o! W1 X% U7 | Is neither understood nor appreciated, s6 T9 ^+ R$ R/ F
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
" h2 o, y a) p3 T7 z0 G3 w8 |# @ Its insignificance is transformed
, @) A- d, i. P8 |: u1 j& e/ P Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
& }' G- n# x. Y$ Z' m* K- k
. M+ [: w! r7 U3 {* h5 l The instant the pebble kisses the pond% i9 ?: T# _" o& v& O* W( h
Its signature of concentric ripples # `/ S7 [9 S! z, n1 O$ J
Spiral outwards
8 k2 Z# d$ u# g* } Moving far beyond itself.2 p! i0 I' l! w+ \0 M+ L
Gently affecting everything in its wake
6 M% d9 m; @( m1 h3 l Forever altering the smooth placid surface.' v7 i0 z* M# X A
7 D3 m2 c6 `& r4 X5 e, i& ^' m! d
The pebble creates its worth and meaning
$ k: W% J E c- t/ T By unleashing its unimagined power?
; J0 |0 Y* U% Y5 p9 N) ]" j1 ^$ I Into a dueling force of action and reaction @2 _# Z8 j6 p
Creating karmic energy2 E" a7 W. s& f; H; u' |
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.2 K( b" f4 I$ E* ~9 T% f" Z
1 P& R! R+ o6 }6 C) m$ A Aren't we all pebbles?
& `9 Y: h8 j, A, q4 q Feeling small and insignificant
# p# u7 _& i( r But ultimately recognizing
. _2 H5 V2 v* o9 `/ \ That who we are meant to be# h1 U' v4 d. K$ _! @
Can never be measured in isolation b( |8 G& a, o: K
on a path into ourselves.. `) |3 i! {. G5 a
9 E6 A9 }. ^, D# z It is true then:
5 ?- f( |, u @4 W. e6 {% q: t# ~ Our everlasting future 6 ~! D& ?/ R6 S. u9 Q, N' [8 {! w9 p+ W
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles$ ? Y( L' B8 K0 Y
Into the pond of life1 D! W# A! r. K
Creating ripples 2 B. T( `# R% ^
that leave unique mark on our world
. ~- D m+ w, R' G0 w; p Not because of thoughts
! D5 d7 ~2 g4 N4 C3 d not because of well meaning plans8 x' C. B. |' C
But because of actions. # I& r* v5 n5 t( K" X
. s/ U+ ^1 d% @+ Y6 e- z Our life's prayers our answered; ^5 T1 G2 G- }( A) H: P; S% p7 s
Because even the smallest pebble 6 H% I& V+ A. a- X( X
No matter how seemingly insignificant
$ V# _# P0 H# k a3 k9 ?' n Changes the course of the lives7 H- `) g; A. N( y2 O: b7 r
Of those we touch.?
( `: v$ T$ }4 ?. D
m- a2 l# g0 x( F3 J3 X q And when the icy winds of death& j! f& l- V+ i n* |2 V
beckon our lasting attention2 }9 U6 u$ v) S6 t# ]% z* u
We will gently leave this life ( `3 N: |# m* t# k+ \% S
With the knowledge that
$ _& h5 A; b1 |3 J because of that one pebble 0 M6 i( u/ l5 y( ^# f3 i" i9 F
The world will never be the same.
( y- Y4 j F( K
; z2 M- C8 H3 b3 N* a" c' o And then we have heaven …' w7 l: w5 \. O f4 j+ u2 \3 k; W8 C" {
. d+ h8 e! ^/ o) L- Z Ross Rosenberg
8 K$ k. _! z' o. X2 u7 M 8/18/03 |
|