I saw an old friend at a concert last night.  I’ll call her Brigitte.  The trouble was I haven’t called her a friend for the last year.

Before then, I had asked her to go for coffee many times, and she always said no.  One of the last things she said to me was “We’ll see each other around.”  I was sad.

From that point on, I turned my back on her … and I didn’t even notice (!)  I was unconscious.  And I’ve remained so for at least twelve months. 

And last night, before the music began, there she was.

Talk to her, Bruce!  Apologize

And so I did.

I told Brigitte the truth.  I felt hurt.  I rejected her.  I have been avoiding her.  We were no longer friends.  In the words of probably the Buddha, I threw you out of my heart.  I had promised to never do that to another human being, and I did it to you.

I apologize.  I’m sorry.

And then … the release.  It’s like I had been holding my breath for a year when I thought of Brigitte.  Ahhh …

This morning I looked up the quote on the Internet.  Turns out it was Kabir who said it.

Do what you do with another human being but never put them out of your heart

Thank you, Kabir.  Thank you, Brigitte.  We hugged for the new beginning.  There may never be coffee in our future … but there is peace.