Touch

“The things that matter most in our lives are not fantastic or grand. They are moments when we touch one another”

                                            Jack Kornfield

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Walking in the dark

in a wet half frozen world

an old familiar path

down which I have walked many times before

thinking about life

what is it?

this spare existence

but pathway upon pathway

some familiar

some new

and what do we accomplish

as we plod, we plod, we plod

we hang so tight to our doings

to titles

(Rev. Dr. Father Sir)

to those tangible deeds

that we hope, against hope, give our pasts meaning

and our futures purpose

but in the end we realize

that all that really counts is those moments

when we touched another

when we gave them hope, or peace

when we helped them along the way

when we made them feel alive

and perhaps

loved

but touching others is such a fragile task

and so much can go wrong

and sometimes touch can wound and destroy

may we in this world

where pathways cross

and people meet

learn to touch each other

with authenticity, and generosity

gently, kindly

for it is in those moments of touching

that our lives are made

or unmade

and we are our worst self

or perchance

our best