NAMASTE

    

      *NAMASTE

She walked the narrow path

head down

her feet bearing the weight

of a world gone wrong.

Grayness flooded her world,

masking beauty,

blurring colors, shapes,

even sounds of life.

If she had looked up

she would have seen

white clouds changing faces

and forms in the blue sky,

birds that sang merrily from treetops.

She barely noticed the crane family

that kept pace alongside her

so great was her grief—her fear.

Walking toward her on the narrow path

glistening white in the spring sun,

a vision to challenge her reality

caused her to look up

Namaste, he said quietly

As he bowed to her

His smile was warm

Was he real?  Was he imagined?

Who was he?  Who was she?

Namaste, she replied shyly

bowing slightly.

When she looked up

the world had changed.

She turned around, watched

the retreating figure fade.

The heart prays, she thought,

Lovers meet,

Sun shines,

Birds sing.

The world turns.

            II

Nothing had changed,

Everything had changed.

The weight of a world gone wrong

no longer shrouded her in shades of gray

No longer blurred the colors.

The bright blue sky

The dancing clouds

Singing blue birds,

Friendly, silly cranes,

Smiling, happy families

This was the world

she longed to embrace.

Both existed.

Gloom would not heal the world

Nor would a smile.  However,

a smile and a kind word

healed her heart that day.

Namaste brought her love

Returned her to her better Self.

She could do as much for others.

Would she?

·         *Namaste, loosely translated means, The good in me greets the good in you.  It honors the divine that resides in each of us.