Minding the Gaps

 

As the final sunlight
sets upon 2016…
“Mind the Gap”
warns
a neon sign
over our dinner table
… a sign
transposed
from its english train station origins
to this remote
eatery in Delaware.
….A sign that it has me wondering
about
What “gaps” in our world
have been left un-minded
in the last year?
what issues
what problems
do we need to direct
mindfulness to?
Prone as we are to
miss,
mis-estimate and
ignore
that precarious gap
between the train
and
the train station
we are possibly predisposed
maybe even conditioned
to
pass over things 
that should be considered
a while longer,
a bit deeper.

Like, the gap between what is said
And what is true
Formed by the spin we impart to issues
and the biases we hold

Like, the gap between being politically correct
And giving genuine respect
Created by an outward compliance
sans a deep understanding

Like, the gap between patriotism
And love of people n’ country
Created by a need to show
As opposed to a need to feel

Like, the gap between doing good 
And enabling goodness around us
Created by a need to “be good”
versus that of making it better for others.

Like, the gap between “talking the talk”
And “walking the talk”
Aided by a preference to grandstand
over a commitment to integrity

Like, the gap between our religiosity
And our spirituality
Created by a desire to be holy
instead of being God-conscious.

Like, the gap between our tradition-ality
And our spirituality
Driven by a need follow traditions
Over discerning the will of the Creator.

Like, the gap between our sympathy
And our empathy
Formed by a desire to acknowledge another’s pain
but not to share it.

Like, the gap between our meaningful silences
And all our meaningless noise
created by a proclivity to entertainment
Over an inclination to be thoughtful

Here’s to minding the Gaps in 2017…and beyond!