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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.
" m1 L% t2 f: b
# }' r2 ^6 X! z Heaven1 n0 M) n9 u1 v7 C( b
The pebble is worn smooth " \/ N, r" M) Y; h
Made small over time
; g) A+ n6 M# [1 u) k9 }! N A product of a cataclysmic force of nature# c9 ]0 N |& N. N6 v1 P) u2 [- c
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock ?! }& E4 s2 Z0 l7 W
An accidental offspring of a boulder
b7 `# |# q& i4 v But just a very small stone.
Q V+ n" h- L9 t% d
9 E" E* J' ?+ N The pebble's place in our world
, M9 B2 A. l- |; ?+ S6 W Is neither understood nor appreciated
& k% k z5 V; Y% A; d, O6 L' q But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
# M( C4 x9 g8 x/ e Its insignificance is transformed
& S" I- q6 q7 u% o) W6 L Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.0 B% I+ E7 T% a! q; c3 A
! _3 l6 \& M p6 w( e5 c; }0 R The instant the pebble kisses the pond
* }% [1 [" q7 F% Y9 F/ R' B Its signature of concentric ripples
, r+ p- K0 ~8 B: c Spiral outwards : D: R/ P! f8 w1 h# k! M1 i
Moving far beyond itself.
3 w% ?) X/ x: M- Q/ g, h Gently affecting everything in its wake* X' t7 j. u C8 ^. }5 ~, v$ w
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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$ M7 c: H7 u; Q' A( `: c1 M4 c The pebble creates its worth and meaning
: R, N1 h" @1 X/ W. n By unleashing its unimagined power?
5 R* q. ?7 p' G# r Into a dueling force of action and reaction( T6 w6 S: p1 o
Creating karmic energy& o7 Z' r S0 z: c; R& R
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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; ]3 M$ \6 V, w; W o1 l Aren't we all pebbles?
5 ?: s. C r# w0 J Feeling small and insignificant
8 @: y3 r L; G4 B But ultimately recognizing
( U' H2 D+ x3 M- {8 v! ? That who we are meant to be, a8 ?5 D) {: e8 w
Can never be measured in isolation4 d3 B( ]2 H/ b1 @0 A7 M7 x0 i' c
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
2 M7 A8 h. c9 \% @7 \ Our everlasting future 6 a8 q" C" e8 A, }+ x+ P
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles2 j$ v: _2 m' V
Into the pond of life
( _9 A! x3 J6 c( M Creating ripples ( ^, N z6 t% r: }" J7 Y
that leave unique mark on our world $ Y4 u6 h" a5 @* o7 D
Not because of thoughts
& z$ i) f5 _! q( C0 ]1 [& z not because of well meaning plans
' O8 B2 Q" F0 l' }. L7 S a But because of actions.
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3 a9 [8 Q% } }. _ Our life's prayers our answered
# e; l- g, J; q' K6 c2 N Because even the smallest pebble 2 S5 {$ d: ^. [& X
No matter how seemingly insignificant
4 D( K2 p6 L/ O4 G+ N/ r c Changes the course of the lives* U. V5 ` L/ K: J7 w
Of those we touch.?
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5 W' Y& h6 S p# ~ And when the icy winds of death
[( ?3 \5 |7 g a beckon our lasting attention
2 e7 i: X* ^/ `8 |1 y We will gently leave this life
7 c, c& ?3 m& \; a With the knowledge that
* H, H: m$ B2 f8 w, m+ s because of that one pebble & S3 c1 g2 ?+ a+ ~% x2 O, r8 p5 B
The world will never be the same. C6 n& T$ q$ i9 S* w" K' y
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And then we have heaven …, v: W* x _" {/ Y
5 N+ v7 g" j" P7 h3 V Ross Rosenberg
! L9 f5 w( z5 O5 \: {9 ~* h1 M 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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