morning shift

the magnitude, the scale, of what

we're incubating in is so vast it is almost

overwhelming and perhaps because of this

we put it out of mind and focus only on the

locality of what needs to be experienced,

felt, seen, heard, and done

the coffee grinder needs emptying,

the espresso machine needs cleaning,

the floors need sweeping, the trashcan

needs to be emptied and the grates need

to be raised to greet the morning's customers,

to generate revenue, to pay bills, to share

a smile and to contribute to humanity

if only in this one simple way,

helping others more fully

enjoy their day

yet the sunrise beckons and

when we pause to look, it can bring us

to a standstill, an awareness of the heavens,

the big picture of life, the magnitude of the scale

in which we find ourselves incubating, putting everything

into perspective, and reminding us that the

dramas of our lives are relatively small,

and the pleasures

equally simple

how small we are,

compared to the whole