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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. $ A& s. J! [/ S
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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., d( g c+ q$ p3 \5 N
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Heaven
7 D- {; ^/ ^6 C9 R- O The pebble is worn smooth & x6 g k# `: C3 B% ?( G7 v5 d
Made small over time- w. @( G/ x$ |9 x# u; n; t
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
3 z2 u X( d# ~# H' B7 l8 { A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
& E% T, D; g/ y7 s1 A An accidental offspring of a boulder
2 N2 z Q+ P2 b But just a very small stone.
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: L5 N% D2 e& E9 F7 W2 K) a The pebble's place in our world
- W/ E) Q4 D) w( A2 I$ R0 g Is neither understood nor appreciated
0 p$ A3 c/ ?: v& i$ @/ I1 W But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
( f. m# G7 Z v/ R3 ]! [ a Its insignificance is transformed' {0 }' e& N# F6 k
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond
4 W( h" i+ u8 C" J2 O Its signature of concentric ripples 3 F. R, T H9 g' C( w, V
Spiral outwards 8 O2 U/ @& V, O. F
Moving far beyond itself.
7 J5 Z" D6 f# d Gently affecting everything in its wake
9 m: s! N' Q9 |( Y Forever altering the smooth placid surface.7 [8 M. o1 c! q# j0 j0 Z6 o
o+ | c5 K! f& X) G6 V The pebble creates its worth and meaning $ Z7 G+ r& n: e
By unleashing its unimagined power? ' M2 X4 T3 W* N# n. I+ X
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
; T" l- ^) `7 f4 s+ A) P Creating karmic energy
% N/ C. |- w1 J Producing lasting and fluid impressions.: d; M4 l# R/ n" _7 R
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Aren't we all pebbles?+ z! K' X7 V; u& m2 o7 j. g
Feeling small and insignificant
9 ]5 C* `; b2 m! M9 h& Z' c% X7 u But ultimately recognizing
! @) J& T: ^; ~% M. F8 R That who we are meant to be
2 r% @' h2 `5 f* A* C Can never be measured in isolation
7 s3 b# r8 z% F8 a1 v; R$ x on a path into ourselves.1 T1 b# `. B' q6 w1 j% S! B
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It is true then:
, Y5 N6 F3 n* P1 S5 I# Z* G Our everlasting future ) Q7 ~% V! g2 x, a3 w, W
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
4 p; [1 b. A9 f k Into the pond of life
( y' _0 K. d- S; `; r Creating ripples 5 e @2 X; V' ?/ N+ B) {( E
that leave unique mark on our world 2 G8 F, X. n2 n& y$ c( |
Not because of thoughts
3 @. N/ {. m8 o( j5 d* P2 y/ w not because of well meaning plans
* q! y% c' M# m/ i# _ But because of actions. 0 F' A3 h: q# O" @
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Our life's prayers our answered q( `3 d6 ~+ v7 ?* E( P( n
Because even the smallest pebble
4 J9 a6 b& S& t9 y e. s No matter how seemingly insignificant/ ^3 \! J- w" z. F& k6 D: T
Changes the course of the lives/ U( _! U2 m! w, \2 |
Of those we touch.?
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# q: T) F" n: m: a: _; S6 X And when the icy winds of death+ v9 N1 E$ e5 p8 q
beckon our lasting attention7 _% l5 a! `$ k) P; N+ I% B) I
We will gently leave this life
, ]: h3 p) q9 G) P1 L5 } With the knowledge that
# _- J2 Y4 f G8 k, ^ because of that one pebble
4 T8 s" a% H6 X7 h8 f The world will never be the same.
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1 b! k* f8 z" [4 a And then we have heaven …
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- J( L/ ]5 b- `2 y Ross Rosenberg3 o3 G! k u- K9 {
8/18/03 |
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