Term 3, Day 1

Long, long day. Beautiful one - the sky a delicious confection of cloud and light and moon from morning till night. Long walk with my wonderful fellow participants, stopping in the meditation room with the open skylight to sing Dona Nobis Pacem, then readings, lecture, meals, more readings and finally. An impromptu reading of ours own work by my graduating class in the lounge of my dorm. Everyone's work has progressed so far - amazing, and I felt so proud of everyone - my people, all of us, growing. Met my teacher and felt terrified that the piece I've been working on of which I feel proud and about which I'm excited will be torn down and torn apart. Don't know why this anxiety, but then met my favorite friends, walked again in the twilight, came back and sat and listened to their amazing work. Women in control of their destinies at least on the page - a thrilling, enlivening experience. Saw my little family on FaceTime on my husband's IPad and they looked happy and busy. One of the graduating women is here with her baby and the baby's soft head and sweet searching eyes filled me with a moment of that blessed mystery of love I first knew seven years ago now. All that waiting and look at the gifts it has brought me! If there were aNy snow on the ground, I would fall down in it and thank heaven. I thank, in any case, dear heaven.