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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.
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Heaven
5 M* M$ m. x2 g3 S5 A. ?1 {7 m The pebble is worn smooth ! s/ G; x/ r7 O, C' h9 R* h+ i
Made small over time
% I) |; T+ \" i, z! \" @2 s/ {' i A product of a cataclysmic force of nature3 C' W1 b: ]* Y/ w. _$ K
A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock- r0 V# c7 R3 g6 c; p1 q) m$ W9 Z
An accidental offspring of a boulder 3 J9 t# }9 \* z# S
But just a very small stone.
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3 [1 m' K$ g: Y5 K% `5 n, E The pebble's place in our world ' h- p9 \+ J* |' b
Is neither understood nor appreciated' B! u( p! J. {: N: m2 f! k4 g
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 2 g7 G6 |9 F: Z" F& @+ Z
Its insignificance is transformed8 W( l. y* d; s8 L
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed." x1 ? B5 q1 c) c- S. V: z; L6 G
) ?1 \9 X2 _5 k& {6 | The instant the pebble kisses the pond
- D" u1 e- n& f: A' r Its signature of concentric ripples ; w7 _' B% ~9 c9 ~; _" V/ F1 K
Spiral outwards r( X/ X- L$ p& l9 E/ e3 o
Moving far beyond itself.
6 x3 n% J7 T6 k# ` c; p6 S Gently affecting everything in its wake
: k5 y8 G3 d5 v. g9 Q. I Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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; P1 n0 m9 M! B9 k) Q& I5 I The pebble creates its worth and meaning
- U X7 @: X% V8 F P c% N By unleashing its unimagined power?
. R; k8 Q! g* V2 U' T, C Into a dueling force of action and reaction
$ {, F* X" D3 {& R& p Creating karmic energy+ M- A# x/ ]# u
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.6 n( e( F: I2 e6 b% B& F/ u
! D, z0 n& L ?5 t' x! s9 I Aren't we all pebbles?" Z- v# A6 M. L, o+ D( F
Feeling small and insignificant7 ` s2 T. N; p/ Y! N) d4 |
But ultimately recognizing
( s( @. _2 _4 _6 a4 M6 G% T8 Z That who we are meant to be5 _4 K# e$ S( e) s5 m: k0 S
Can never be measured in isolation
& ^% i/ E2 n1 \. s! V! L on a path into ourselves.$ T. J- l. o' N3 k9 H! j
" ]( V# _. j1 Z, q7 X$ T7 Y$ W% {; v It is true then:
: x5 T5 [; j* c+ g: F/ s( J, P Our everlasting future
" e! ~3 r6 t! H7 s7 w: C Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles+ X2 c1 L) H, A- r4 R2 p* _5 d( {
Into the pond of life& W1 L* d1 A2 N$ F) x: N+ j
Creating ripples 6 a+ O- j3 `8 y1 {6 ~0 j- p2 l
that leave unique mark on our world , A; }6 E. @2 ^# L+ n: z
Not because of thoughts
7 d0 {4 P4 j8 x& E3 o" [5 } not because of well meaning plans% k @6 a, e, \ q+ _- T8 I
But because of actions.
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# _+ F+ }& V$ ? @ Our life's prayers our answered0 k z7 d: _8 ?( m" G4 c
Because even the smallest pebble 5 r1 N# H6 {$ s3 b# p
No matter how seemingly insignificant
9 A" Y0 M; Q- i4 N: c7 [+ C, G5 F Changes the course of the lives- [& |0 r% J* g7 v" x3 I/ U
Of those we touch.? ( O! a' T3 f K$ b0 \
9 H8 n5 _* v: O" N And when the icy winds of death
' G* B: e V8 n% A beckon our lasting attention0 _/ f4 P1 J5 z# ? ^6 ?
We will gently leave this life . W! a @( O0 [4 H
With the knowledge that ; U- A1 Y# Y1 [! o
because of that one pebble - _2 Z2 N! m3 d* c7 n
The world will never be the same." T; _' j! G6 q$ A
* I$ `: M; G5 o. T And then we have heaven …5 O( D: _, Q4 L& t- V
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Ross Rosenberg* B# ^+ H$ N6 @0 m* e& t9 U; r7 J U
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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