Compassion

A great rose colored door
That portal to the knowing of suffering and
connection to the love that will heal it.

A door I have no choice about passing through,
rather, I am sucked out from the center of my belly
through an open heart.
Pulled

-by the sight of a homeless person cold and ragged.
-The sound of crying from one who’s done her best
and can do no more.
-The receipt of a blank stare from one deeply numbed
by too much hurt.

The choice lies not in passing through the portal;
the choice is about leaving the door open.

Who would willingly leave this door open,
or even ajar?
I’m not sure…
it was open when I got here,
and the one time I slammed that door shut
the pain in my life grew greater;
the inner turmoil constant and
the dark aloneness so certain
that I ran back to the door
and opened it wide;
Willing to know again,
to be connected to the love
beyond and through the suffering.
-MDM 1998