Blessed Reunion of the Souls

Two weeks have now passed since leaving Indiana.  I painstakingly folded my life into a green duffel bag and left in a moment of closure.  This is the first real time I feel I will never go back.  Now I have the means, the want, and the opportunity to step away - more than that, to be heading in the only direction that seems fitting for my life.  The Agape Community experience is only a week away now and the excitement is growing more than I anticipated.  This must only mean the people I am with now are right for me and ripe for these places.  I said to my friend Amy yesterday, "I am happy here in a way I didn't think I could be.  I love Providence and I love this apartment.  I love waking up and talking to you." She informed me that this wasn't a fluke. I can have this kind of joy if I want it.  These past two week and the next nine months will be filled with more than joy - all the satellites of hard work and peace, struggle and meditation.

To recount for the good of the story, I left the Midwest on August 19th and flew to Maryland where I met my friend Ryan and his family.  His sister was getting married that weekend and I was to film the occasion.  It was a traditional Catholic wedding in a quaint basilica church that reminded one of the Tridentine history of not so long ago.  It went by with only a few hitches and I think I got the best shots I could from the event. (still anxiously awaiting the edited footage!)  That Monday, Ryan, his parents and I all drove to Bethany Beach, Delaware to relax for the rest of the week.   They have a very nice but comfortable beach house about ten blocks from the Atlantic.  Our time there was predictable each day -as I like - wake up around 11:00 AM, have our morning coffee, catch up on the news and weather for the day, head to the beach for awhile, come back for dinner, waste time online listening to music, head back out in the late evening for the best part of the day.  At night Ryan and I sat, stood and danced to music and rum on the sand, drawing our favourite shapes with our toes and considering the deeper parts of life.  All but the first day (which was rainy, cold and windy) the weather was perfect.  We all burned a good tan and received some sense of relaxation and peace.  On Friday we headed back for Maryland and each flew out on Saturday, Ryan to California and me to Providence.

A South-facing look at Bethany Beach in Delaware

I came into Providence weary, stressed from packing my life once again into a single Korean army duffel bag.  By the time I picked up my checked luggage from PVD I was early for my friends to pick me up, so I bummed as cigarette from a man waiting for his own ride and stood watching the people come and go for a few minutes.  One toke for the college girls picking up their roommate, another toke for the husband being picked up from a business trip by his wife who forgot to shut the hood of her SUV.  As the evening darkened Kate and Amy, two friends from my college days, arrived in a red Chevy and took me to the canal downtown.  Every two weeks the city lights bonfires all along the water by the park, so we sat and watched in a daze as the tour boats, love boats and moored gondolas cruised by our position on the water's edge.  The tranquility seemed slightly forced but it was a good transition to the New England scene.  The next day we awoke in better moods and settled into each others personalities with ease.  Their apartment is very much representative of their own artistic personalities but still maintains an instant sense of home.  We lounged around the kitchen, drinking our coffee and tea and decided to drive to what I call, with no affection, the ritzy beach. So out of comfort as I am around the wealthy I was happy to get back to the city where, within a few days, we experience good sushi, music, wine, bubble tea and quiet panoramic park views of the city from afar.   I love the peace here.

Rekindling the flame on Providence River

Two nights ago, the last day of August, Ryan, who I'm pretty sure I said goodbye to the weekend before decided to fly out to see us from California the following day. All by a mistake made by Priceline.com, but that's another story.  So yesterday we picked him up in the evening and went for a burrito dinner.  The night gave way to drink and general disruption of peace occurred. My own frailty of patience I'm sure had much to do with this. Today, however, is anew, as they all should be, and armistice reigns over the muggy afternoon. Each of us has our own direction for the day: Kate, to work, Amy, to school, Ryan, to his music and of course me to this report.  The weekend to come will be filled with fresh wine and tea and perhaps a few notes and anecdotes from this glorious city. Until then I shall do what I do best in this second level living space, which is clean and eat.