Greeting the day

​Greeting the day
 
I greet the day.
 
The day greets me.
 
The mirror shares a face with me.
 
Later the magic of the internet
 
allows me to greet many who share this journey.
 
I greet
 
my body as each piece of gym equipment calls,
 
Me!  Me! Me!
 
First I make the circle to embrace the rest who gather.
 
That little box above the treadmill brings the news of
 
my extended family
 
News of hope, love, fear, violence, political conventions
 
I greet the day
 
The day greets me
 
Requiring nothing except I show up
 
At Panera’s I get my coffee, open the laptop
 
Oh!  There is Tom.
 
I open my arms. He stiffens
 
thrusting out his erect arm to
 
ensure that …
 
Ensure that I keep my distance?
 
Less I ..
 
Lest I what?
 
Embrace him?
 
Always I have reached out to embrace
 
not thinking to offend or  frighten
 
Yet I know
 
I know some need the distance of the erect arm.
 
I have had 76 years to learn and yet…
 
The heart leads as if all the world will welcome
 
the embrace.
 
Not yet.
 
I greet the day. The day greets me.
 
Written July 29, 2016