Alone in My Room

I sit alone in my room,
seeking peace,
seeking strength.
I see my altar,
a file cabinet covered
with a tie-dyed bandana,
a red candle,
and a picture of Mary.
The Buddha and Kuan-Yin
sit in meditation
on the shelf above the altar.

Books on the shelves
remind me that I’m not alone
as I search for hope.
I belong to a community of seekers:
ancient and modern,
Christian, Buddhist, Jewish,
Hindu and Sufi,
male and female,
seekers from east and west.
Like me, they had to find meaning
in the dark nights of their lives.

I look at the planter
I brought home from my father’s funeral
so many years ago.
I see the wooden box
filled with treasured mementos
of family members
long departed.
I remember the struggles and triumphs
of those who gave me life
and shared their hard-won wisdom.
They still give me strength.

Alone in my room?
I guess I’m not.

8/5/2010