best moment

someone asked me last evening
about the best moment of my week -
and I thought about what that meant

would that be a moment that
brought me the greatest pleasure
or happiness

or would it be a moment
when I gave my best

not performing my best
or receiving my best

just being my purest
truest
simplest

offering
the me
of me

and that would have to be
the moment of kneeling
and washing the feet
of those who presently live on the streets

some live there by choice
and some live there because of circumstance

some live there sober
and some numb living there

some live there alone
and some live there in a family of sorts

some live there hard
and some live there relatively easy

but each one is someone's son
or someone's daughter

and each one lives there openly
right in our midst
and yet unseen

sometimes
to ease our conscience
we throw a loonie
or maybe even two

and we throw it
so as not to get too close
so not to have to look
so not to have to see

and it is these sons and daughters
who allow me to kneel before them
and wash their feet

one by one
toe by toe

to soften and ease
the crust of their existing

washing the blood
of life wounds

holding these feet
that walk a road I have never walked
and know very little about

and it is not even the washing of the feet
but the opportunity
to touch
with tenderness
with hope
with acceptance

to look up
directly into eyes
that see
but are seldom seen

to spend time
all the time they wish
touching
and seeing

because of the stuff of their life
we are told to "glove up"
but I just cannot
it would only sterilize the touch

these sons and daughters
rarely
if ever
are touched

it is the touching that makes a difference

and the simple fact
that they allowed me to touch
was the best moment
of my week.