Day 83: My first handstand in Musho

"There's something amazing that happens in those seemingly brief and forgetable hours in between when my tired, discouraged head nestles into my perfect pillow underneath my three heavy wool blankets and when the sounds of Don Abraham and Jessica rustling about downstairs causes me to peel open my eyes and look at the new day.

Today I felt more confident in my role (although a moment of serious wavering gave me reason to reconsider when the director of the school said he'd be honored to have me teach English to 60-80 students during their summer vacation...) I carried my knitting with me to evade that uneasy, anxious feeling of waiting without anything to do. I made sure to smile as much as possible and greet all passersby with good diction. I even agreed to a handstand contest in the middle of the school's gym class, surely creating some sort of reputation for myself.

It felt good to be busy. Our room is comfortable and homey, safe and private. The moon is full. And sometimes, when the moon is full, I know that my mom and pop are looking up at the same moon and telling me that they love me. ( Mara... this is a distant memory from a glistening lake in the BWCA ...) " Libby