Via Basel: I went for a walk

Today, I carried my lazy body, reluctantly, 

Took it for a walk in the neighborhood, 

Sunny skies, mild temps and a calm lake,

A temptation unable to resist.

I saw lots of other bodies, smiling.

Parents carrying young children, 

A man and woman holding hands,

Two men holding hands, two women too.

I noticed different faces, none two alike,

Several skin colors in all shades.

A variety of languages spoken, I heard

Some I couldn’t even name. 

As to attire, I was amazed, from 

The staid and ordinary, to the flashy and playful.  

Sizes, forget it, from the skinniest

To the fullest and anywhere in between.

I saw the very young, and the really old. 

Locomotion: walkers, runners, bikers, skaters, 

Wheel-chairs, and saunterers where I belong. 

I stood in awe for a moment, before 

Returning my weary body home, 

To rest in delight.

Then, I read a text from a dear friend.

He had just been laid off.

Basel Al-Aswad, father of EIL founder Christopher Al-Aswad, is a yogi trapped in an Orthopedic Surgeon’s body. His loves in life include reading, writing, hiking, enjoying nature, meditation, and spending time with his large Iraqi family; now, semi-retired, he is exploring new avenues in medicine, education, public speaking, teaching, and social engagement.