Never walked a labyrinth before.
What’m I s’posed to do?
Just walk? What if I get lost?
Whaddya mean, I can’t get lost?
I can always get lost.
Just follow the path to the center?
What do I do there?
Anything I want, huh?
Then walk back out?
Huh.
Walking meditation, you say?
Does it help?
Won’t know till I try it, I s’pose.

And he does, his big boots stepping
slowly, stopping when he sees
a small rock heart here and there
on the path, kneels, reaches a
tentative finger to touch it
before rising and going on.

No one has suggested that John do so.
He just does.

I watch him walk his first labyrinth,
hope he picks up a tiny heart,
not only recognizing love on the path
but perhaps being moved to hold it,
take it with him, as people do.
Do with it what they will.

As people are doing all over the world
today, tracing the circular, winding path
leading to center and back out,
perhaps picking up a morsel of peace
and a dose of lovingkindness
with every step.

•••

(On World Labyrinth Day, May 2, 2026, at the
Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento labyrinth)