Living Zen Life

There are thresholds we cross
when our mortal lives 
bump up against mysterious 
numinous realities
when paths we knew vanish
we find our feet on strange ways

thresholds - interstices
between matter and spirit
time and timeless
we come to our moments of reckoning
our assumptions beliefs knowledge 
finally to see they were all of them wrong

we may fear or welcome them

as priest I was called to the hospital
family wanting last rites for mother
I walked in the room 
black clothes white clerical collar
I was told she was comatose
my presence brought a terrified anguished cry
she knew her time was at hand 
she was meeting her threshold moment
she knew what my presence meant

in her last moments
my wife lived and breathed 
on the threshold of living and dying
watching and listening to her
we knew she was with us
as she was moving away from us
a time came when we no longer knew 
when she was still with us
when she was gone
though breathing still

I saw her on her mortal threshold
too often considered with fear and dread
that was not her way
she had prepared
she was ready
she smiled
said goodbye
crossed over.