Reincarnation

I had to part ways with the Dalai Lama today.
Don't think I'll post this in the dialogue circle.
I'm a Christian, not a Buddhist.
I find reincarnation exhausting.
There's no grace in it either.
Today's spiritual practice invited us to go sit somewhere and people watch
Then imagine that one or more of them could have been my mother in some other life.
Oh, please!

Today I went to see a movie with my daughter - the early show.
We saw Henry Poole Is Here.
When it ended, Emi said it was way too heavy handed
no room for the imagination.
It's true.
There are no subtleties in that film.
Everything is in your face. literally.

The other person in the theater when we left was an older woman
older than me so she's getting up there
short white hair, glasses, lace up shoes
She said she had slept briefly and asked us to fill in some details.
She remembered everything we told her.
I guess I saw more than I thought she said.
I just didn't get it.

There were plenty of subleties for her.

What if she had been my mother in some other life?
How would I be different?
kinder maybe
a little more dense
probably a good baker (she was pretty hefty)
no fashion sense
for sure no big jewelry
friendly

I doubt that we were ever related
but we are connected
we are all God's children after all
and worthy of care.
Lord bless her.