In this stillness I hear whispers
Reminders
We are not alone
Not strangers, but companions
In this sacred place
Where love is not a sentiment
But an act
An ongoing choice to recognize
The dignity of the other
“I, Thou”
His whisper speaks of lessons past
Of truths learned in the depths of hardship
Now, in this stillness, the heart knows
Our survival is at stake
Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries
Threats of “I, It” pervade
Deaf to messages that echo through time
To reminders that love makes no distinctions
Patiently the wisdom of ages waits for us to listen
To remember
What our souls too often forget
Words that are timeless
Spoken not in anger
But in gentle sorrow
Urging humanity to return to
Its deepest responsibilities
Never in dominance or possession
Never in “othering,” nor marring through division
In this deep river of humanity
We transcend shallow waters of mere existence
To find our collective strength
Should we look into the eyes of another
And see not a stranger
But a reflection of ourselves
We walk forward
Not as isolated souls
Not as “us versus them”
But bound together by love
Inextricably linked in kindness, compassion, respect
Remembering “I, Thou”
We truly see one another
And become whole again
Kay Phelps
Durango
