Buttress: Companionship to the Rescue

What turned the tide
Turned out to be
Someone else in trouble
Who needed me.

In order to help
I had to pull myself up;
It’s remarkable how
That magic works out.

As soon as one cries for aid
Someone has to rise to the occasion,
Who better than one
In a similar condition.

Together we hauled each other out
Then celebrated by breaking bread.
We cooked and talked
And ate until we felt well fed.

Sometimes mindfulness is required.
But in other situations
Companionship is indicated
It can be just what’s needed.

I wasn’t looking
In that direction,
Nor was it something
I was expecting.

What to make of it?
Perhaps it’s just
Another form of practice,
Neither original,
Nor miraculous,
A simple solution,
As close as the phone,
And just as practical.

Bust-up: Holding Pattern

Clueless still and tired of temporary fixes;
Only the deathless will do,
But compassion is still needed
To manage my ire.

The fire burns higher today
But the spirit is low.
I’ve nowhere but up to go,
Or, at least I hope so.

How far down can I go?
I’m not sure I want to know,
And how will I know?
And when will I bounce back?

It’s so discouraging,
I need encouraging,
But from where will that come?
Or, can I do it on my own?

More questions than answers,
More doubt and fear.
Will a rescuer appear?
Or, will my misery simply disappear?

Meanwhile,
I’ve made my stew
And eaten it,
Washed the dishes,
And cleaned the sink.
I’ve brushed my teeth,
And combed my hair,
Laundered the clothes
And stowed them.

And now I wait for
I know not what.
How will I recognize it
When I see it?

Bursting: How will I ever be free?

And the answer is:
If I cling to
The point of view
That all is lost,
Then all is lost.

If I see tragedy all around me,
And identify with that,
This is the strategy
That will generate
The most suffering.

If, on the other hand
I attach to a different perspective,
For example,
One of the triumph of
The human spirit,
And identify with that,
I will obtain some
Temporary relief
From my pain,
But will still not end
My suffering.

Ideally, I need to
Let go of both,
But perhaps
To do so all at once
Is too much.

Until then,
I’m still stuck on
Loss and gain,
And so it shall remain,
For the time being.

There’s no use fleeing;
I will just have to
Go on hoping to be seeing
Clearly again soon.