Day 2 of 365

I have decided to write my blog daily as a practice in writing and also to see what comes of a daily commitment.

Yes I know that I do write about death, grief and issues pertaining to these experiences but I also think that our basic issues about life have much to do with how we view death.

Do you think that if we actually honored life, I mean really honored the life we and all other life forms are, we would stop killing one another? I think we would. I think if we were really present, now how many of us are really present?, we would, could actually see just how sacred life really is. I say sacred not in a religious context but in a wonder context. How many of us take the time to really marvel at the life around us, plants, animals, children, oceans, mountains, etc. (you get the picture) We are so busy getting ours and avoiding someone else getting ours that we fail to be fully present to the sacredness of the all.

We fear death yet we also fear life! We are afraid of one another. Last night in a conversation about the homeless population we were discussing how we all have at one time or another ignored, looked the other way, walked by with our heads down and failed to acknowledge the humanity of another. Is it fear that has us behave in such a way? What is it about homelessness that has us behave so arrogant. Yes I say arrogant because at the moment we decided to not look at someone we have made a judgment about them . We have no idea how someone became homeless yet we feel justified in our judgments.

Several months ago my son told be of going to the store and meeting a homeless man on his way in. On his way out he stopped and talked to the man. He told me it was a gift to have the conversation with him. His life had been enriched in talking to a total stranger. I am sure the homeless man had his life enriched as well. We are not present to what we provide another when we engage. We are a society which does not seem to value these exchanges. So today my goal is to engage with everyone I come in contact with and report tomorrow. (when I say engage I mean be fully present)