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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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- b- _: {! h- [+ g% [- T6 | 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
1 J" k P- \' f8 j) h7 W2 e The pebble is worn smooth
% p2 D, U9 S7 d9 x u8 [/ C; i Made small over time6 ~. \0 B1 U6 V. `. p
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
% \3 K- C7 t8 A: \' y A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
% x* p9 N: C! [+ M& e An accidental offspring of a boulder
) A3 q j6 h9 Q7 `9 y/ { But just a very small stone.
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; V+ {. l1 [9 N The pebble's place in our world , l6 M+ C9 i* c8 Z! _: ?$ H& Q
Is neither understood nor appreciated
) ^# m& T# R/ e3 D But when thrown into a glassy calm pond * m& a8 d" Z" {1 ]( g* C
Its insignificance is transformed
) B! f1 X) t6 c1 ^ Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.* z! I+ D% A9 U! ~ y5 n
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond q _ q- P: B2 w
Its signature of concentric ripples $ K8 Y3 S9 r! F
Spiral outwards ( {0 v( `/ w. y6 f% k/ k
Moving far beyond itself.
' q+ \( s) c2 h5 ~& I- R- d Gently affecting everything in its wake
1 @7 n2 T/ y) W; x$ @" H, [ Forever altering the smooth placid surface., i5 m, y- E7 W3 S: ], P1 W
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning / M& @- z% ]$ @5 L2 D {: U/ U$ V) s
By unleashing its unimagined power?
* u5 X3 K. @) O5 S8 I$ P2 l! c. { Into a dueling force of action and reaction
% w1 h) ?! |& H' N. V3 U. \3 w Creating karmic energy
) f! z, B& H6 N Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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2 d V7 i* ^- I1 X! V: J8 H" ^ Aren't we all pebbles?' t- b* i5 \9 G
Feeling small and insignificant, O: ]" ?8 \1 G+ q5 a5 }
But ultimately recognizing
1 Y2 i B, o% T5 d) N8 V6 L That who we are meant to be
: g$ {& k6 I _1 I3 q& H0 g Can never be measured in isolation
" [0 E1 o& r4 M on a path into ourselves.9 _- R) }2 v+ W5 `2 p. k
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It is true then:) |+ E( x, j$ b
Our everlasting future 0 c3 n7 W% Y. ]% y% w- C
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
+ N7 e6 b9 i) k0 P& V Into the pond of life
, X5 x! Y6 n' N: n- r0 B6 v Creating ripples
# f! f8 Y/ ?0 Z# \/ e* e7 U0 r that leave unique mark on our world
" x8 @$ }: }! F2 u/ f! b Not because of thoughts 5 d6 I1 ?$ ~4 T
not because of well meaning plans
8 j. L5 x/ q! ^1 L" Z But because of actions. 8 {3 v& ~. q! l- ~( T5 ?8 [
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Our life's prayers our answered! `' [2 A Z% B) m& M
Because even the smallest pebble ( ^6 q. A8 H. o& V" _
No matter how seemingly insignificant
) {$ o; O. [; `- k5 N Changes the course of the lives+ T: w$ x _, a! }7 A6 Y
Of those we touch.?
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And when the icy winds of death
, W7 q9 c4 I3 Z* a beckon our lasting attention
1 E. G7 w* x, n$ D: | We will gently leave this life
) u1 h; J# u$ q: }: A% D With the knowledge that ( M8 n& }$ h( G% x! x
because of that one pebble ( T& p3 w" W7 k9 O3 w# t
The world will never be the same.
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9 ~+ F# c2 h' E$ i* S And then we have heaven …3 o0 M; |2 @& b0 y- b1 q0 F! k& f
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Ross Rosenberg2 \6 j1 c f) B* o4 X8 V
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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