I walked into a small church today.  There were marble stairs up to where a priest sat.  A slow line of people lingered between ten and thirty seconds with him and then walked down on the other side.  It was a very short ceremony … person after person.

I sat a couple of seats from the aisle which most people used to walk to the back of the church, and then out into the sunlight.

There was silence throughout the space.  At the entrance, we were asked to keep cell phones in our pockets.

During my time, two experiences came and grew:

1.  I meditated with my eyes closed

To the recorded music of a choir chanting … and to the rhythm of footsteps

2.  I blessed the human beings walking by with my eyes open

Many decades ago, a phrase visited me and decided to stay …

Love them all

At least two hundred faces came near.  I loved each one.  Since I was at a slight angle to the passers by, very few of them noticed my gaze.  Even fewer made eye contact.  That’s okay.

Young/old, short/tall, skin light/medium/dark, happy/not so much.  I left no one out.

I walked out of the sanctuary after an hour or more … smiling in my heart.  Whether those folks realized it or not, I was with them.  They were in me.

And likely we’ll never meet again