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{"id":5498,"date":"2014-01-08T23:52:49","date_gmt":"2014-01-08T23:52:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/faithforward\/?p=5498"},"modified":"2014-01-08T23:53:35","modified_gmt":"2014-01-08T23:53:35","slug":"message-in-a-bottle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/faithforward\/2014\/01\/message-in-a-bottle\/","title":{"rendered":"Message in a Bottle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

A message in a bottle
\nIn an ocean swirled with trash
\nWould there be someone to read it
\nIf the ecosystem crashed?<\/p>\n

I could write that I was sorry
\nThat I left the earth a mess:
\nAnd promise not to foul it
\nAny more than all the rest.<\/p>\n

I could swear that this one bottle
\nWas the last I\u2019d ever toss,
\nThat next time I\u2019d recycle \u2013
\nNo more carbon would be lost.<\/p>\n

I could write a solemn promise
\nNot to waste another drop,
\nNot to drive a big gas-guzzler,
\nThat my power use would drop.<\/p>\n

Or I could re-use the bottle
\nFind new purpose for the cork,
\nAnd let my message to the future
\nBe the way I live and work.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

JIM BURKLO<\/span><\/span>
\n<\/span>Website: JIMBURKLO.COM<\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Weblog: MUSINGS<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Follow me on twitter: @jtburklo
\nSee a video interview<\/a><\/span> about my new novel, SOULJOURN<\/a><\/span>
\n<\/span><\/span>See the GUIDE<\/a> <\/span>to my articles and books<\/a>
<\/span><\/span>Associate Dean of Religious Life<\/a>, University of Southern California<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"