Exquisite

The story of the last couple of days was six hours of driving to get my daughter and I safely ensconced in our tents at Shambhala, the sweet Japanese music festival where we are volunteering again this year. First, I packed up the car and did all the various million trillion tasks to be ready to be in the woods for a long while. 

I said goodbye to my parents for now. They are heading south to leave the pollution, which is already high though the burning has barely started. We will meet them at the beginning of March to get out of the worst of it ourselves-which has recently become possible for us through the care of friends, amazingly, wonderfully- and will be able to spend more time with them, experiencing new places in the world.

Then I drove, listening to music all the way down, feeling that elusive feeling that I love so much, freedom, moving swiftly, letting my mind wander and my heart soar, letting thoughts about work and details and plans go. I am a wanderer constrained by all the best and most beautiful things: family, work I love, community, a home that requires watering and faithfulness, schooling my children, love. I am deeply thankful for every good thing that constrains me.

And at times I feel the sun on my arms and the breeze whipping through the open windows and this old car wills carry me a little farther and it is exquisite.

I set up camp and sat with the other volunteers and ate some food. The next day Tayna and Aya helped me with my tents and I left to get Kenya and there were more details and shopping and various things, but at the end of it all were the hot springs and a bath in the river, and sitting and chatting with others, stringing beads on strings, and finally, a mat in a tent under the trees.