LIFE AND DEATH by Kalindi Dinoffer

Life and Death 

by Kalindi Dinoffer

I walk the spiral path 
stepping over 
gnarled roots
and grassy patches
hand in hand
with 
Life
and Death 

They are my friends
my guides
my teachers 

Fraternal twins 
dual sides 
of the same 
eternal wisdom 

I smile and greet them
as old friends 
friends I have shared walks with before
and will share walks with again 

My friend death gets such a bad reputation
But who is death but the usher into life anew
And life the usher into death returned 
Each meaningless without the other 

So I smile and weep and laugh 
Hand in hand 
with my old friends
Life and Death 
I walk and run and trip and fall
and sometimes collapse on the ground 
and don't want to get up
And there my friends wait patiently 
knowing they can only present lessons 
on my walk
not force me to embrace and learn them 
that it's my choice 
but they'll never leave my side 
whether I wish to acknowledge them or not.

Kalindi Dinoffer grew up in a Bhakti yoga community and has been writing poetry since she was a young girl. Kalindi is trained in mindfulness and mindful self-compassion, sharing on her blog MindfulKalindi.com. She is also a yoga instructor and is trained in reiki, and myofascial release therapy as well. Kalindi played competitive tennis growing up and graduated summa cum laude from Southern Methodist University and now serves as Chief Marketing Officer for her family business OnCourtOffCourt.com, a leading supplier of tennis, pickleball, fitness and yoga training aids and equipment. Kalindi has been published in leading magazines and conducted workshops at conferences around the world. In her spare time, Kalindi enjoys reading and writing of course as well as activities such as tennis, ping pong, hiking and biking.

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