week 13

Some news....

I'm in my final week of the massage training program. This is the last Sunday I'll sit here at Lazuli Bar drinking coffee (though, I imagine I'll be here many or most of the next 7 days either for coffee and be

er). This week includes some final theory, some more practicing (our last 2 sessions with members of the general public), and, of course, some written exams.

Overall, I'm not too bothered with the testing process - I feel pretty solid on much of the theory we've studied with the exception, still, of Anatomy and Physiology (unfortunately, this makes up 2/3 of the content of the exams). It's tough to settle into the studying because the sky has been clear blue, the sea welcoming and warm, the temperatures pushing into 80+ degrees (24-26+ degrees Celsius for my Canadian cousins), and it matters to me to make time for faces I may not see again - over beer, or coffee. Alas, I've not been sleeping much past 3am for the past week and this affords me some quiet and dark hours for hitting the books.

I am thrilled by the idea of seeing Bradford and Ben next Sunday - from beautiful faces here, to beautiful faces at home. I am also very excited to be starting my new job with Counseling Associates of New London in just over a week (no rest for the wicked) and feeling what it's like to be back in the world of talk therapy after

being immersed in body therapy for 3 months and feeling so profoundly affected as a human body by my experience. Even better, Bradford informed me yesterday, via email that we were accepted as tenants for a home. Not a moment too soon, I might add, we agreed that we wouldn't panic in earnest until tomorrow.

While I haven't seen any photo's of our new home (we take possession on the 15th), I have formed images in my mind based on what Bradford has shared - 4 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, 2 car garage (2 of the bedrooms are built separate from the main home above the garage with a separate entrance for guests and a massage space), large lot, new renovation (we're the first to live in the renovated space - can you say "no mold!"), 5 miles to work in New London, 3 miles to a brewpub (www.flyinggoose.com) in Wilmot, NH. I'm grateful that Life always seems to pull through in ways more astounding, more intelligent than I.

And so, this last week is causing me to begin to assimilate my learnings - a process I'm sure will continue for years. Some things I know:

- I will keep drinking coffee. And beer;

- I can be both graceful and a little terrorizing when I'm ejected out of my comfort zone and into a new experience;

- I am resilient;

- I can love someone whom I can't stand living with;

- touching another is a Holy experience, moving beyond words;

- I can wear a dress;

- Ian Rankin is a life-saver;

- I like having my own computer and look forward to becoming a Mac girl one day;

- sometimes it's better to let go of the need to be right and make my point. Sometimes I can simply take a breath, go with the flow rather than rip out a plant that took so long to take root, a plant that one day may bear fruit;

- Portugal is beautiful;

- there is so much to learn and so many teachers;

- I'm a very lucky duck.

Some pic's today. A few of the faces that have sustained me, challenged me, made me laugh and cry, and buoyed me through this time. My housemates (Jesse, Cameron, Geraldine) from the ghetto; Katerina who cooks my dinners; Pedro who greets me each morning with a smile.

More faces to be clipped onto next week's entry!