Tour is over for this auntie. I handed over my bus keys though somehow I still have a key to the truck padlock. I’ll keep that for a souvenir in my man drawer (please see Michael McIntyre on YouTube for full details. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4xxqVzlSeE He was a constant companion along the way. My face hurt when I laughed…but I digress) So I am no longer traveling and now must recalibrate in this world. “Re-entry” as some call it. I feel a little selfish using that word as my work with the choir seemed relatively easy compared to say soldiers at war, missionaries who lived in the jungle for several decades or astronauts. But since the majority of people don’t experience the life and re-entry of any of these folks, I’m at as much liberty and expertise to reflect on the newness of normalcy. Of course this too will wear off and I’ll have to come up with some other witty or worthwhile subject to muse about, but let that bridge remain vacant for now.
Since I’ve been back I really want to return to my blog to write down simple observations. They will be of a different fashion, those of the real world that I’ve missed or lacked an appreciation for while I’ve been looking after a whole choir of kids, living out of a suitcase, moving from one hotel or home to the next every few nights and eating an assortment of different fried chicken and pasta salads. I recently read a book (another crazy accomplishment of tour. I read 15 books since January. Thanks for driving Kyle.) that described a walk to the coffee shop from his house. He noticed the people, the atmosphere, the space he used by sharing sidewalks with students, the conversations others had, the sense of belonging and community that people shared as strangers and neighbors alike. This is the world in which we all live, regardless of tour bus or scooter or shoes, but how often we miss the subtle interactions or movements of the people and nature around us to realize how much impact shared time, space and communication have on our lives. Will someone buying a slurpee inspire me as I walk past 7-11? Who knows- I do like slurpees. But perhaps a better question is what else do I notice about this slurpee coinsurer? Do I make quick judgments; do I think about heaven since it rhymes with seven and eleven; do I think about my nutrition plan; do I actually meet a friend in the person as she holds one out to me? These are the observations I want to be more conscious of and particular about pointing out at least to talk out loud to myself. (I can do voices so I don’t get confused.) I will miss lots, but even after four days home, I’m seeing a fresh the way love is shown, how kids live with innocence and boundless energy, and the movements of people all around the city.
So these are my quick observations from today. Kids can find anyway to experiment and perform outside the box if allowed. On his way home from school, a little boy tried out a new way of carrying his backpack: with his teeth. I think he was going to try balancing it on his lips after he got bored with his teeth. This made me think two things 1) Gross! 2) His teacher must be ready to be done with school if his teeth can handle carrying home his homework…but then again, he could have been training for awhile and three subjects of homework was a walk in the park for his mouth.
Sunshine makes things, especially the natural earth smell so much better. I walked past a greenhouse of flowers and almost fell back from the overwhelming fragrances. (note: not all things smell better with sun. I don’t because I’m either sweating too much or have on lots of sunscreen. Port-a-Potties don’t do well in sun either. Yikes- that was a rough comparison.)
So feel free to observe with me. The silly, simple, and totally normal moments of your day. You might learn something that could only be kept in the ordinary.
You can observe a lot just by watching. –Yogi Berra
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