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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.. }1 v2 L9 e$ r/ V4 N/ E0 v
3 |; m: Z$ ~) f$ C$ {0 ^$ }1 d Heaven
& S& y3 b6 ]* T The pebble is worn smooth ! b+ _* O, ^8 Y
Made small over time
) h' @) Z* c5 F) K3 F A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
7 { o( v% K9 v' b. _2 r A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock( n/ s6 i0 V$ ?/ M3 E
An accidental offspring of a boulder
' c1 l' ]& p! P0 d4 v P$ b But just a very small stone. ) F4 f5 R" Z* f" a
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The pebble's place in our world
* z& a* J: \9 b0 ~6 p8 {, h6 X Is neither understood nor appreciated
5 s3 ?& h0 q3 @9 t& G But when thrown into a glassy calm pond
7 ~* k! ^/ U# h- Q2 W4 y% V Its insignificance is transformed
, {5 I9 A* O" {7 `* d! K Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.& e7 d) f+ D% j' t* S
6 c9 {+ s) I2 M+ a, s$ p- `! d The instant the pebble kisses the pond- u9 s! _" I$ t# R) Z
Its signature of concentric ripples , r/ j# e* o6 r; G" A
Spiral outwards
* Z4 ?# K/ k! s Moving far beyond itself.
& }! R( d5 W+ o6 c6 Q Gently affecting everything in its wake
6 N5 W% k+ k8 q% u& ?- d4 D) r Forever altering the smooth placid surface.6 a/ z" `8 i0 a8 F$ i0 l
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning % A: @* ?$ \1 D$ ?% |
By unleashing its unimagined power? # K$ O- Y5 q" r6 M4 _: s; e: G
Into a dueling force of action and reaction" j; C, C; }" G# P, l, p
Creating karmic energy
, o% b8 f8 b& T6 C { Producing lasting and fluid impressions.) ~) r3 j0 E$ l
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Aren't we all pebbles?. T1 V8 J% b- z- r( d$ K
Feeling small and insignificant4 \- v6 u% G4 U9 c6 B0 ]3 L: [
But ultimately recognizing 8 n, ~. m; k& R8 i2 j" R
That who we are meant to be
# V4 ^" i1 U: i0 d; n8 b( h Can never be measured in isolation
. e# |3 y2 j5 @5 i on a path into ourselves.! u7 Q G" s3 }3 z: N8 Z# U+ l
1 Z% U9 y9 p2 _" ? It is true then:: t2 X7 g( G8 }$ q) ^0 ]
Our everlasting future 2 o. O) h0 C8 n" I$ |/ s% r
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles* M) U7 G+ w* S
Into the pond of life, T, T/ d+ o5 F$ `1 r# g ]$ }4 C
Creating ripples 1 {5 V* F7 { U
that leave unique mark on our world
+ r6 ^# d: a, O Not because of thoughts + B6 `! y; T3 e/ F
not because of well meaning plans
! P0 t* n C9 b% I But because of actions.
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, B, w x" u/ f2 r' ]' i Our life's prayers our answered: \3 K5 b, g/ |& Q
Because even the smallest pebble h7 u8 B; R8 C$ F R6 t# W* p
No matter how seemingly insignificant
9 ^5 L% B% m) ^0 K, i1 S8 P8 B' Q H Changes the course of the lives
5 w8 H: S1 P* M% y) K7 L& Z Of those we touch.? ( S& L4 k+ `. r8 ?$ y3 E' K
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And when the icy winds of death
% E4 ]" b! U4 ]$ L8 G0 N7 S7 Q beckon our lasting attention
3 V7 b" u' S8 b We will gently leave this life
# W A( e/ P! t9 t1 E With the knowledge that 7 @3 ~! L& g- n
because of that one pebble % w+ l, \! ~- t' v9 t: E% ^4 I7 U4 T
The world will never be the same.
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% B3 `9 ]8 d3 F3 r# y And then we have heaven …; o) p# w$ {6 Y( p" q1 _% v
! a- J3 Q$ t, E$ X' K: x Ross Rosenberg% E( a/ s6 G& A7 k- e' p$ x( v* y
8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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