In Remembrance of All

On the heels of the tragedy in Connecticut, I attended another memorial this week of a dear friend who passed after six years of struggle. This is the sixth passing of personal friends and family so far this year. This year when my own mother passed, I remembered how empty I felt. I also remember how full I was with emotion.

In remembrance of All, who knew their days were numbered and befriended death as a natural part of the cycle of life, I say Peace Be With You; To All who never knew what hit them and died suddenly in innocence, I say "Blessed be the pure of heart for they shall see God."; To All who struggle daily with the reminder that death knocks harshly and violently at their village doors and city streets  I say "Blessed be the meek for they shall inherit the earth".  

I offer this poem to All. We are you, me, us and them. You and I are not separate from one another, we bleed the same...

THE CLAY BOWL'S DESTINY  by HAFIZ ( Persian mystic, Sufi master and Poet -1320-1389

               The

Ship you are riding on,

    Look where it is

           Heading:

Your body's port is the graveyard.

Realizing the destiny of each clay bowl

               Tossed into the sky

                  with no one to 

                      Catch it.

                      I finally

Accept the Beloved's kind offer

                 To enroll

                   In

           His sublime

     Ball-busting course

                  Of

               Spirit

                Love.