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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. 1 H0 k6 N* S" M' W; M9 L3 U
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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.% i8 H) v" J6 `# n
2 G% q* R8 L$ O7 x& x5 B. U Heaven
$ A7 {# A- k; P1 B5 c! [ The pebble is worn smooth - {/ R/ t8 o3 n' c0 `
Made small over time, O4 l7 ] W: B2 B, F) F0 ?2 n
A product of a cataclysmic force of nature
% C3 ?6 ]5 w3 |7 M- w1 H) H A fragment of mountainous sheets of rock
! n- l8 v! k. F& u# ]1 T An accidental offspring of a boulder
/ Z& s2 _7 a& w, Z; L But just a very small stone. 6 y5 L7 K7 ?: _* J* s! F) s5 N( Q" t
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The pebble's place in our world
8 v: n _9 p# [8 q3 Y Is neither understood nor appreciated7 ^/ [' i+ n0 T2 A0 L- I2 t
But when thrown into a glassy calm pond / N9 S6 H2 b/ w1 C
Its insignificance is transformed' V' `0 [* w% R+ @# o* K+ v/ D
Its meaning and purpose is unleashed.
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The instant the pebble kisses the pond# z2 W9 A/ e8 p; P' y; B+ P6 Q
Its signature of concentric ripples 8 u4 f, C! |3 I) o4 g
Spiral outwards ; O& n% U2 U# N
Moving far beyond itself.- s# }6 y9 U% y4 C( Q7 d. i
Gently affecting everything in its wake0 H# \/ l+ U+ z& C" B
Forever altering the smooth placid surface.
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The pebble creates its worth and meaning
% k/ \$ B3 e; | By unleashing its unimagined power? 8 q0 k3 K; o" ]; k0 }+ x3 B
Into a dueling force of action and reaction [/ c, S3 B* m
Creating karmic energy0 W9 m; k% K6 F% F+ e
Producing lasting and fluid impressions.) i/ V# V6 X- N- _7 k! [: v9 T! ~3 E
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Aren't we all pebbles?
! i4 f6 e2 w/ U% k% \9 G# H8 p" g Feeling small and insignificant
& `% [" d+ @/ |% M! g2 q But ultimately recognizing
2 @% U6 e$ B6 x4 \ That who we are meant to be# m1 V9 A3 Q- L$ h8 B0 h0 o
Can never be measured in isolation
% b' t9 c" B9 C6 J8 U* O3 @ on a path into ourselves.! M! B6 q- y( f. N K3 ?. S
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It is true then:! a4 Q* [8 @/ P$ ~, D
Our everlasting future
/ }9 z a1 r- k( g9 m. } Is created by the indiscriminate tossing of pebbles
! ~: H. B( b x$ } Into the pond of life
# ^% {% k* Y3 K3 v Creating ripples
3 L6 w. D2 i$ o! f that leave unique mark on our world # b3 B# O6 E. U; g0 w! Y
Not because of thoughts
2 {6 _- f E, K. F not because of well meaning plans
3 L% M- a! v- F9 z# b But because of actions.
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8 Z, m( n* X, s( U3 J Our life's prayers our answered8 D# i9 ~# q6 A& ^- P8 }* {
Because even the smallest pebble
9 ~' e1 \& \: B No matter how seemingly insignificant, A; {9 o7 l- Y k/ c
Changes the course of the lives: j" x6 z5 K/ x
Of those we touch.?
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5 A6 c# E$ G& i And when the icy winds of death# x, K: D# z* Z8 z. C
beckon our lasting attention. F2 c v3 N) \
We will gently leave this life y4 i7 Q# D8 e; P
With the knowledge that # @0 T* m: W5 z% L8 N
because of that one pebble * l% ^$ t* O. n. P3 \
The world will never be the same., J6 c8 m2 R' C+ w
+ e: a! c6 R, n* b And then we have heaven …7 \$ J) C7 e8 l |4 _, R, L9 ?
7 f. u4 t# d$ x4 |4 p h Ross Rosenberg
9 w/ V" ^* {. H. b! J* z 8/18/03 |
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发表于 2010-3-12 06:36
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