I volunteer and tutor English to non-native speakers, (gotta put that degree to use). My current student is a 65 year old woman from the Philippines. She is a strong, strong woman. Strong. Today we were talking about our weekend plans, and I told her, “I am going camping… with my boyfriend… for a reunion… his family reunion.”
And she looked at me for a long, long moment.
“Ooooohhhhhhhhh. Important. Big Important.”
Well, yes, I guess, if you must put it that way – it’s way bigger than it seemed before that sentence was uttered. Pretty much, big scaryville – but it’s such a small scaryville compared to other municipalities in existence.
New things. Old things. Changes. Endings and beginnings and endings. Status quo. Complicated. Good, mostly. Still scary.
Earlier this week, I read a brave writing about that bittersweet moment when the past is so suddenly in front of you but is no longer yours and you find that okay. Bittersweet.
Applause for saying it and big hugs, ’cause that sucks. Been there. It’s still crappy.
Crap Magnets. This life can be scary and full of meanness and weird timings. And somehow we continue to step forward, lean in and love – step up and live – jump and dive in.
It is a miracle.
And it is extremely brave. Every time.
(Even if it means uprooting and moving to a place where you don’t speak the language or understand the culture.)
