Shortly, I will be called upon
to leave the sanctuary, my
meditations, the poetry, my

wife and dog and go out into
the world of ever-growing
tension, anxiety, fear, anger

and escalating violence. I
will drive my car to my ap-
pointed destination hoping

to arrive at the designated
time having allowed myself
plenty of time to get there

on time, and almost immed-
iately I will be in the way of
someone who wants to go

faster than I am going. The
driver will invade the space
recommended in all manuals

of safe driving and I will feel
my blood pressure rise and
I will forget the message of

the meditations; I will forget
the beauty and pathos of the
poetry; I will forget the loveli-

ness of my wife’s face and
the faithful affection of
the Chocolate Lab and I will

join the world, be of the
world and not just in the
world. And so the internal

battle rages and my resolut-
ions and intentions dissolve
and wash away in a wave of

ever growing tension, anxiety,
fear, anger and escalating
violence.