perhaps because i have spent several moments of eternity of this one wild and precious life in Vietnam today in ceremony for laying Thay;s body in the casket, this poem of his feels oh so right for this second day of honoring and celebrating this astonishing and beloved being of light…

Oneness

“The moment I die, I will try to come back to you as quickly as possible. I promise it will not take long. Isn’t it true I am already with you, as I die each moment? I come back to you in every moment. Just look, feel my presence. If you want to cry, please cry. And know that I will cry with you. The tears you shed will heal us both. Your tears are mine. The earth I tread this morning transcends history. Spring and Winter are both present in the moment. The young leaf and the dead leaf are really one. My feet touch deathlessness, and my feet are yours. Walk with me now. Let us enter the dimension of oneness and see the cherry tree blossom in Winter. Why should we talk about death? I don’t need to die to be back with you.”

Published in Thich Nhat Hanh, Call Me by My True Names (1993)