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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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; f+ K7 J5 S# z+ y7 {# Z. D$ d 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& \6 G, h! w, L
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Heaven& @( p/ H, b$ e3 z+ p
The pebble is worn smooth ( a+ ~2 q+ x+ c2 o1 V% H- ~
Made small over time
/ c, H3 ^# k7 M1 c7 q" _ A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
0 l, T# O$ I2 c; S8 y t A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock3 t) V7 P9 c" U1 D/ q
An accidental offspring of a boulder ' p( C [5 T' h* }. Q5 _# c
But just a very small stone.
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8 S$ S+ D. r2 I1 T4 p! v The pebble's place in our world
; k- [& A+ m. H! D; o. \2 [ t5 P) R Is neither understood nor appreciated3 H1 N( {' r- d/ ?0 h' O
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond 0 Q' z- q$ e B0 [
Its insignificance is transformed+ p, j5 V Z; V f7 P
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.; u9 O0 \) F, y& E! q2 t
) j; g, B( ]" R0 I$ J The instant the pebble kisses the pond
a" f8 V" N6 {* P; W# Z" t# l$ a Its signature of concentric ripples ' x7 b5 W! ~% m1 S2 Z
Spiral outwards
7 H: A3 E- r$ v/ C# m6 D Moving far beyond itself./ @" [4 x, Z3 A# t, f) k8 x
Gently affecting everything in its wake
( x! [! t) g+ G+ V Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning ) ^( U5 J% n4 z! q
By unleashing its unimagined power? G* U) J+ E. k$ _0 r' R& s
Into a dueling force of action and reaction
5 B( R4 D5 [# R! C8 ^& Z/ V Creating karmic energy5 ^9 {1 P, o" {7 |2 A
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.
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" S/ |) A9 J: n3 O+ ]! {2 l Aren't we all pebbles?
# }) J, [0 X8 z/ u Feeling small and insignificant( C3 l5 f! N$ V( I; Z# X8 |6 Z
But ultimately recognizing
+ L4 z" Q" s& D9 O/ U+ w That who we are meant to be# O: w8 F& y( {+ e9 s O) d
Can never be measured in isolation% r: c+ B6 ^) m2 T3 O) N$ }3 S+ T* T
on a path into ourselves.
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5 t* ^& P0 J, }& L$ y! I It is true then:
% T/ u' Y1 G. N; W Our everlasting future * ~0 R) s. [) H
Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
* S) X! S3 e" \8 w2 I, d; Y Into the pond of life0 x+ }( C8 T4 L
Creating ripples
# w6 d! r, g1 |/ e, o! u: s" C' q) j that leave unique mark on our world ) y" g! G1 S8 O, a6 @. D# a
Not because of thoughts . L$ x, _8 F3 h% O6 K1 l
not because of well meaning plans# p7 L7 Y5 j( }, S& v0 Q: m
But because of actions.
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* r$ e4 ?. m+ T: E! C+ F Our life's prayers our answered
& }6 X& \$ [, J, j Because even the smallest pebble
- i9 [: A) i4 T$ p No matter how seemingly insignificant
% p6 @: d. O, _9 [ Changes the course of the lives
6 a6 [, k" l: Y' f- r. m0 b Of those we touch.? % i4 P, p( A" P0 t: h/ ~
% a% f* N4 q* h1 z$ H/ @/ v8 B" W And when the icy winds of death
/ H5 h6 {: p' H% z* \6 m beckon our lasting attention
( ~. ~; [0 r7 h: n6 R5 A; G3 W We will gently leave this life
n( a" n9 E m0 ^/ o3 k' q; O With the knowledge that
6 B' O$ H q& o& X( E! N because of that one pebble 2 T+ Z( i6 q# }6 h* c) O2 O
The world will never be the same.
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And then we have heaven …
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Ross Rosenberg
0 @! S0 _( U" y' V 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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