Greeting Or Meeting

Walking down the street
through quiet air
and happening to meet
a neighbour
(when younger I shied
from the formality
of greeting)
we threw each other
a ‘good morning’
and a smile
(the phrases used
seemed conventions
without meaning)
and carried on our way
with contentment.

I didn’t realise back then
that simple words
could act as bowls
to carry blessings.
‘Isn’t the weather awful’
wasn’t an invitation
to complain
about the rain,
but to join in human
solidarity,
to share an experience,
to let another in,
to wrap an arm around
in greeting.

Jane Upchurch
www.janeupchurch.co.uk