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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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% m. U/ `' C9 \& u+ q 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' d$ o& J4 z) P
( Y! S5 E: p! M& q, {$ L5 b Heaven
# ]. a: {& j" d8 P The pebble is worn smooth ' U9 k, u3 e6 |1 O3 _
Made small over time
/ ^* ^% ~# S3 H2 _ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
5 t+ F- W) n( ` A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock; i& j7 \9 ~8 M4 l( d9 p+ o( {
An accidental offspring of a boulder 9 {. S0 e2 r. ?
But just a very small stone.
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The pebble's place in our world
" G' s n) {. z4 B6 M" n Is neither understood nor appreciated
4 z" ]/ U) n4 J9 ]+ X7 w# { c But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
8 e0 ]5 R1 g3 H Its insignificance is transformed
2 j6 o4 a$ s" Q* U8 b; q" O Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.8 v; @( t# E: u
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond% D$ f- L- v2 c9 C. n9 f( P
Its signature of concentric ripples . `6 p+ Z: \8 V- v7 b0 T1 `
Spiral outwards
" U; M2 Q7 o8 z: Q! z) U Moving far beyond itself.% h! I/ y& {$ p, K" W+ K, X! y
Gently affecting everything in its wake
& @3 e! J y/ K, j5 E: u9 m Forever altering the smooth placid surface./ \4 w6 A, F9 a* W4 y4 ^
1 |( [6 H1 ]% ^8 O" L0 S' D The pebble creates its worth and meaning 0 Q; N+ J4 Z2 ~* g2 I# D+ R
By unleashing its unimagined power? 4 Y: M u- o+ H' p. Y
Into a dueling force of action and reaction# [0 c: _- J* q: x$ K0 z
Creating karmic energy$ h- P) }& Y' A, O
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.1 \ B) H8 ~9 f3 V
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Aren't we all pebbles?
! Y" @0 Q( ?6 T1 p Feeling small and insignificant" M e, w8 f# j6 C! d! O
But ultimately recognizing : s p' y( H" w7 Y. Z
That who we are meant to be
. O+ p( O% F! @/ J Can never be measured in isolation% c; ^0 { I$ i) t. E# ] g
on a path into ourselves.
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It is true then:
! ^1 s2 c& ~3 q" _6 R Our everlasting future
4 s, O7 a, K* x* s, X Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
& A3 s- K& b7 @/ i: t) f6 | Into the pond of life* b3 N. p ?. P' C8 b, Q! W$ G
Creating ripples
4 c6 ~8 i: y8 A* o that leave unique mark on our world
8 a5 B" R$ d% {* S( @& f Not because of thoughts
4 y4 x3 j/ C E! k4 Q not because of well meaning plans
6 a" L5 ~* m& m7 q* T9 J But because of actions. % t) X o- `# d! J. q: g1 X6 j) B
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Our life's prayers our answered7 h; r9 L9 F9 V* G+ s
Because even the smallest pebble
4 Z+ [, L B) H8 w- s No matter how seemingly insignificant: e* u) d. \! n) T9 N
Changes the course of the lives
/ u$ o3 j1 [- @" t Of those we touch.? % V: |3 e0 B, x, g, E7 U
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And when the icy winds of death* |# O! [, @6 P8 G3 s& h! }% U+ z
beckon our lasting attention
" n2 _6 @0 {$ F4 J We will gently leave this life ; T+ R* d' T, Z! u- A/ v/ V
With the knowledge that ) @& p* d. k1 f- Z. b! E7 \, E
because of that one pebble
. {, t' G/ t9 A: J" ^0 m/ p+ e. P1 x The world will never be the same.4 e/ P+ `' \* b9 F$ f1 z* ^. u3 X
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And then we have heaven …
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/ `- K) M/ O$ P3 v- e+ { Ross Rosenberg5 t3 m' P% P! U' [/ U7 l0 H
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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