Thursday, June 24, 2010

From my brother, Joe, comes this poem ~ ~ ~

A Perfect Stranger

I met a perfect stranger
along the shore last night
At once, somehow familiar
yet elusive as to when and where
We walked together without talking
as we both contemplated matters
I remember being vaguely irritated
over the peaceful smiles of the stranger
While I wrestled with all of my failures
and all the might have beens and maybes
Why hadn't I been more aware and wiser
with the choices I had made during this lifetime
And I admit that my irritation with the stranger grew
into anger as I realized he was reviewing his lifetime too
But rather than second guessing his choices with recriminations
he seemed rather pleased with what he had learned from his mistakes
Why could he approach his lessons with such graceful understanding
and self forgiveness while I righteously punished myself for my failures
Finally, I could not stand his presence anymore and I asked him
who are you to interrupt my solitude with gloating satisfaction
He stopped and looked at me with absolute love and faith
as he gently reached out to me with his hands
Dearest brother who are greatly troubled,
don't you yet recognize your own soul

dennis j hopkins

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