If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed . Thanks for visiting!There are stories everywhere, all around us—not just in Guatemala City or in a foreign country. When you slow down and pause, you’re able to catch them as they occur. Case in point: karaoke night at your neighborhood bar. I don’t understand karaoke as an art form; what’s enjoyable about hearing people who cannot sing, especially as a musician? When I lived in England, I worked …
“The choice to love is a choice to connect, to find ourselves in the other.” bell hooks Three months ago, I was beginning to think about my trip to Guatemala and how to prepare for it. Two months ago I had just returned from Guatemala and knew that my life was uniquely transformed. One month ago I fumbled about in the ramp up of clients that accompanies the beginning of the school year. Today, I return to writing here, certain that …
To continue from yesterday’s story about the ladies of Casa de Retiros Claret, my second foray into conversation was a byproduct of a shower I took. We had been warned not to drink the water while we showered– not that difficult for me, especially given the trickle that was our shower. It took me several tries to figure out the hot water (the spigots were reversed) and then I made a mess. What craziness. This epic shower happened the day …
I’m forgetting stories. Things people shared with me that I was present to, but did not write down, in an attempt to be fully present in that moment. I love recording, for it aids in re-membering (literally) an event or an encounter. When I record though, I do not listen as well or with the same presence. So, this trip, I sacrificed recording for the greater good of presence. I’m about to do something a bit crazy and tell you …
… My last few days I’ve been living some of what I learned in Guatemala. I don’t always listen to what my body tells me, and often, I schedule and overschedule myself. Last week, I got a head cold that quickly morphed into me losing my voice. My 9 am to 2 am day (most likely) triggered this. What an incredibly funny species we are that we forget our lessons so quickly. I had eased in to my schedule after …
