The Ultimate

This James. He's from Australia. He's a cross country cyclist that came by a few days ago. He stayed the night with us before pushing on to Albuquerque. We had an enjoyable encounter and he has gone. You know there was a time when I thought that the Ultimate was some kind of blissed-out state (high) that one got when he or she was able to "give up" this life. (Ahh, my misunderstood Buddhism). I'm sure that most good Christians would call me an atheist. (I'm not) but I sure as hell can't see the Ultimate as sitting around and breaking bread with God and Jesus, talking about pious stuff. I'm sorry, but I can't even make myself believe, and I've certainly tried, in an anthropomorphic god. But what I do believe in is relationships. Whether they are brief encounters like James floating through our lives or like Kamala who profoundly and deeply effects my here and now. That delicious pressing together of two or more spirits, not possessing or capturing. but simply EXPERIENCING the suchness of other sparks of life in the currents of space. Those experiences of relationships, good or bad, (And, frankly, at the risk of being out of touch with my Zen nature, I have greatly preferred the good even though I realize those assholes in my life have added luster to all the others) brief or long, deep or superficial seem to me to have a greater value than any possession, or destination, or even my very soul .(should one actually exist along with Santa and the tooth fairy) I just want to thank all of you out there who have ever shared that touching of spirits with me and, by damn, I think we ought to do it again before it's too late.