How do I describe you?
You’re too much for words
but if my words are enough
to bridge the gap between us
then it’s worth it.
Being in your presence
is a sacrament to me.
When we practice yoga
this sacrament is high ritual
with every asana
and every mantra
an invocation
of the divine light
that shines within us
moving through our flesh
like water through a river
rushing through rapids
sweeping away the debris
that stands between here
and the ocean.
When we set aside
the asanas and mantras
the sacrament shifts
from ritual in a temple
to worship in the world.
Even when your words
are short and simple
our time together
is like a walk
through a prairie in the spring.
I find myself immersed
in flowing waves of green grass
glimpses of wildflowers
bursting with rainbows
of scents and hues
the songs of birds
soaring through the air.
Your smile is a sunrise
a radiant source
of light and warmth
that draws out the color
in the faces of those around you.
And when your smile fades
clouds gather
a few wisps of white at first
as you stand in soft stillness
but when your face grows stern
or your brow furrows
or your eyes fade
or your lips slip down
into a frown
the sky grows grey
the colors fall dull and dark
the air trembles with thunder
and I feel the weight of the rain
all around me
even if you’re not crying.
And when the storm breaks
I feel the cold water
stinging my skin
soaking me to the bone
with your sorrow.
But even your tears
are a sacrament to me.
I would rather
stand with you in the rain
than be warm and dry
without you.
If this is how I feel
in the briefest moments
of our time together
I can only imagine
what it would be like
to hold you in my arms
to read these words to you
to walk with you
to those quiet places
deep in the woods
where the moon
casts its silver light
and our voices
drop to a whisper
and we find ourselves
immersed in the dance
between light and shadow
motion and stillness
sound and silence
Earth and Sky
and all things in between.
These are the words
that come to me
when I think of you.
If these words reach you
through the miles between us
through the walls between us
through the chatter and clatter
that clutters our lives
I hope you’ll reach out to me
and share your words with me
as I’ve shared mine with you.
In the meantime
may these words
brighten your day
as your presence
has brightened mine.