End of the Residency

Well, time's almost up and I have danced and listened and written and thought my way once again into a state of delirious, mind-saturating exhaustion. Funny how the body knows when the brain and heart are full, and sends out messages to stop a full-on disaster. It has snowed a little at last, so I am happy -- been given all the gifts I asked for -- time and space and friendship and dancing and stimulating, mind-altering connections via talks and readings and all those many wonderful breakfast and lunch and dinner and afternoon and late night conversations. I am in love with all that is, and when I pushed open the doors to the outside this morning, I saw the snowy world, took in a great breath of the day and the words "Beautiful world" escaped my mouth. Blessings abound, and I am rolling in them, drinking them, breathing them, and now it is time for one great, long exhale, like the one at the end of a yoga practice, time to say goodbye, get on a plane, go home to my family, where the real work of the heart resides, a work that is lovely and without which I would appreciate none of this, for it is that family, those generous beings, who teach me daily how to open the heart so that the great gifts of this experience might enter there. Oh, lucky, lucky life, oh delicious exhaustion!