Integral

Eternity is not after our lives,
but outside. For after, there is nothing
but the dark. From God's-eye perch
we look upon our times in crystal form,
eleven planes laid flat before our view,
and there we do our sums.

Our debits counted red are times of doubt,
measured in mayhap and might have been,
our bodies in the fore, our minds in aft,
wishing for the wake and fearing storms
that have not come, and may not wash at all.
Our thoughts caught up in contrapositive,
the moment lost for lack of heed and care.

The positives are painted prism-hued,
all colors there, awash in all the world's
events where we partook. Those times where thought
and place were one, ajoined to truly see
the joys that were around. Each moment's life
a breath, then passing imperceptibly
and rising up the precious next.

From high above we count the weight and tint
of times below. Our souls in immanence,
we coolly weigh each contribution's heft.
Did this life *live*? And did it add
to cosmos' understanding of itself?
Were moments spent within the world,
or trying to escape?

The count is called for each of us on high,
Our aggregates define the cosmic why.

Memorial Day Party!

Okay -- I did a date grab some time ago, but let's make this more official:

I will be holding the traditional Crossert Memorial Day Party on Monday, May 28th, at my house in Burlington. Y'all are invited -- as always, this will be a relaxing afternoon out in the back yard without a ton of structure. Folks returning from events or other travel are encouraged to drop in and decompress. Children are welcome (and there's lots of room to run around), but should be supervised.

The party will start at 2ish and run until everyone goes home. If weather is bad, we'll move inside and have a quieter day of schmoozing and games.

The day will be light potluck, as usual: I will provide some grilled meat, and I encourage folks to bring sides, chips, desserts, drinks and so on. (But if you decide at the last minute to come, and can't bring anything, come anyway: we've never had a shortage of food.) My old grill is Mildly Kaput, so I need to buy a new one ASAP, but we'll assume that I manage to deal with that.

RSVPs welcome if you know you are coming (helps reassure me that there will be people there, and figure out how much meat to buy), but not required -- come if you can make it. Drop me a note if you need directions.

Hope to see you there!