Beginner’s Mind: Why Not What IF

Everyone waves in our small village

as we pass each other by on the road.

Briefly, we are on the same page, 

friends, kin, community. What if we 

all generously extended this gracious

moment to our estrangements,

our alienations, those we’ve 

dismissed? What if we stretch,

reach to our friend we’ve ghosted, 

family we shun? What if we

managed a radical one more

crack in the slammed door 

on those 

who betrayed us.

Why not one more gesture 

with a tincture of courage

a touch of compassion

and humble uncertainty

to reach across the divide?

What if we jump 

into the small-town truck 

trapped in the frozen part 

of our soul, hit the road,

shift into a new gear,

surrender ourselves 

to at least one more

gracious wave 

at the passerby

who once we held

close in our heart.