Together

Two old men each

     more humble

           than the other

Old friends

     meeting for

         the first time

Lived separate

     lives

          together

Making new memories

     by sharing

          old ones

Recycling old

     jokes to

          refill the now

Quietly hopeful

     to find

          redemption

Tagging the past

     to reimagine

          meaning

Quiet settles as

     humor cuts

          through regret

A current of

     love breaks all

          time barriers

Forever

     open for

          surprises

Two old men

     together when

          separated

Each with

     his own 

          chalk*

*They agreed that at some point each would take a trip to  an undisclosed location. The one who reached the location would make an "x" with his chalk and if the other one reached the location first, he would rub it out. Makes absolutely no sense, until it does.

 

To Prepare the Soul

Weary travelers

     felt the

          force of Zazen

Surrendered to

     the moment

          uneasily

Received time

     to calm the

          mind

Freshen the

     spirit ease

          the soul

Silenced to

     open a

          new way

Today's truth

     pulled through

          memory

Footnotes

     the

         negatives

Allows the Yes

     to open the

          possible

Empties the trash

     of misused

          dreams

Restarts the

     balance

          wheel

In 1969, Sixteen university students and other adults took a self-guided three week independent tour in Japan. We booked our own travel and made our own arrangements with friends we mostly met along the way. Our overnight stay in Eigengi Zen Buddhist Monastery on Lake Biwa where we were introduced to Zazen meditation, gave me a touchstone for my life today.

While I do not practice Zazen, I do find a refreshing power in those moments when I am able to be alone, still and quiet and to empty my mind. I almost always emerge more open to everyday signs of grace around me and to the presence of a loving God. It helps a lot, especially in these troubled times.

Call to meditation 

Eigenji Monastery (translated)

Cannot avoid death

Moments passing

Value this moment

Things change quickly

 

To Redeem the Moment

In the world

     I choose to

          live in

In the suffering

     of the

         moment

Humor holds

    the door

          open

Lights the path through

     fearful forces

          darkening times

Sits in the waiting

     room with

         the distressed

Loosens the

     cold grip of

          deepest grief

Laughter cracks the

     confining shell of

          anguish

Goes the distance

     with those

          who suffer

Protects against

     paralyzing

          anxiety

Will not give

     grief the

          last word

Interprets

     immutable

         love

Rediscovers

     beauty

          beyond