Shoulders

People are all around me, and yet I am alone. I look and see the people moving into groups – they think they are coming together. They seem to feel a sense of accomplishment and comfort as they group up; but they are actually just separating, and I am the only one that seems to notice. Tears begin pouring inside of me, and I yell “We are not different! We are all the same!” I fall down weeping.

Those important pieces of me seem to be separating – for how can it be otherwise? I feel that I am in everyone, and everyone is in me.

At some point a hand gently comes to my shoulder. My body is worn from weeping, and in my despair, I turn to see a woman. She is beautiful and strange and quiet and she does not look at all like me. She holds me until I stop weeping. With strength and love and tenderness she smiles and slowly says to me: “We are not different, we are just the same.” I want to melt into her, and stay with her forever, but she is already gone.

As I stand up, I see that the other people have not moved; but even so, I now see only one big group of People. I am happy as I realize I can walk amongst all the people. I gently go forward and touch each of their shoulders.