Namaste is Easier Said than Done

The light that shines inside you
is the light that shines inside me
is the light by which I find myself
is the light by which we find each other.

It is the light by which I try to recognize myself
in the colleague who whines all the time
in the panhandler outside the wine store
in the arrogant teen covered in tatts
in the homeless woman covered in sores
in Angela, growing up in public housing
in George, growing up in privilege
in the clergy preaching exclusion
in the excluded, whoever they are
in the politician preying on fear
in the Israeli praying at the Wailing Wall
in the Palestinian suffering behind the Israeli wall
in the Beaver Lake Cree Nation fighting the Tar Sands
in the workers at the Tar Sands
in the 1% making a killing exploiting workers
in the child killed by a gunman
in the gunman