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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. 0 W3 F( Q. P1 a: k0 b
9 R- r9 C& P4 O# B* G 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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Heaven
: N" [& i( D5 |' f3 L- v" {9 V' {% c The pebble is worn smooth ) @. J3 R/ O/ @! B& _% d% A, V
Made small over time7 \9 W6 U* U' J$ x
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature; V0 V: n/ R& K
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
2 ^/ t% H' J8 h) R4 J9 O C An accidental offspring of a boulder
& W s6 p8 Q( H4 b+ L x: i But just a very small stone. 6 o l; K1 ]0 U2 Z) C. y& G
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The pebble's place in our world 6 q1 y2 C" \& F" J+ A
Is neither understood nor appreciated
. t$ l @: l! _( `5 \9 a But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 0 U+ W9 D; u# d) c8 M
Its insignificance is transformed
' @' q% S8 B! l/ Z& B Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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" d; g" t' M$ `+ `* v9 N The instant the pebble kisses the pond" i! S; o$ @2 c' S" E/ v7 L
Its signature of concentric ripples 3 l/ @- W8 s" G5 k8 u( F
Spiral outwards
% f5 O! w# O6 L: p Moving far beyond itself.
# e. I N7 }# j Gently affecting everything in its wake _( |- }) u( t
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.7 J7 J( d# O e+ q% P0 Z
% G9 {. M3 [7 r$ y+ c: M3 J The pebble creates its worth and meaning
0 I) d# C1 p8 g& P By unleashing its unimagined power?
) W7 u$ Q# v( h5 p+ C4 ] H Into a dueling force of action and reaction: r, L+ H0 b Y% K3 ~9 @
Creating karmic energy8 \0 p) P) B- e( H
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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; c; V0 K- S& A+ D6 g: P( X# f2 s Aren't we all pebbles?$ r' ^# A/ W3 m& @0 }$ Y) U
Feeling small and insignificant
, `) L; k' k, r( Z- S But ultimately recognizing
* t% r+ Z# j4 H That who we are meant to be
, |0 e4 N/ s$ ^- m( [: d# P Can never be measured in isolation" p+ b3 s& G E: g9 a/ a3 m9 I
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
7 H; h+ Q7 O+ w+ f9 A Our everlasting future - O7 `2 a1 C) |' ^
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
$ x1 i7 A Z6 d2 C% ? O5 O Into the pond of life+ ]& \2 d# @# O4 f% n& l( a
Creating ripples
8 g% L- i) e- |' C7 p that leave unique mark on our world
* {9 _# p& w, C9 x+ V0 F0 q' f Not because of thoughts ' p& c; y1 [" _3 `7 e% e2 X# U
not because of well meaning plans- T9 H. t; y2 j+ M8 u
But because of actions.
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% U. Z7 n( x5 i8 J Our life's prayers our answered2 [- K4 q8 b9 |
Because even the smallest pebble
0 L0 C9 y) @# O! T" A No matter how seemingly insignificant! j7 w8 Z4 I% r D3 [9 S+ W
Changes the course of the lives
5 f# s8 Q+ i1 b/ h Of those we touch.?
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6 T/ F5 @' ^& `# f0 U5 x And when the icy winds of death
8 J: F( z1 M; o2 S- G" w* { beckon our lasting attention
" u0 z7 b' @/ ]# ]; E6 I6 F We will gently leave this life 2 `* ~! r; O* v& G/ m% \* V
With the knowledge that
) r8 @9 A, W! D/ ]' H8 _ because of that one pebble & {/ ~8 b& m# o/ P8 o4 Y
The world will never be the same.( I9 T& d4 W! x: e1 K9 c) ?
! C; \. }% X. e% ~4 o7 Y And then we have heaven …# w9 y& v/ n% P: p/ z: n
( N. n$ u$ `* X" [ Ross Rosenberg
6 T! |& L3 ~0 [7 z8 ~; m+ v& } r 8/18/03 |
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