I've slept outside twice so far...

Saturday night was the second time I slept outside since coming to Woolman. I don't have a sleeping bag here, so instead I bring my semi-ridiculous bright blue fleece blanket and also my double-sided red/rainbow quilt onto the soccer field and fold them both over so as to make a blanket pita pocket to sleep in. I must say it works pretty well, but in the morning my blanket-pita was pretty wet with dew. Not to worry though, the sunshine dried me out before I fully woke up. It was funny to later find out that several people had seen that I had slept on the soccer field before I woke up! I don't know why I thought that no one would notice a blanket pita with a person in it, but I did. 

Did I tell you that one of the students here asked me if I had slept outside before? At the time I thought he meant here at Woolman, but really he meant EVER IN MY LIFE. And he wasn't talking about without a tent either. Anyway, there haven't been so many times that I've slept in the great outdoors, but I'm certainly not afraid of it. In fact, I think it's been a great plus of living in this dependably dry climate. 

Thinking about climate, and place, and sense of place (this last one is a big theme in Jasmine's class) made me realize that the places I feel most connected to are the ones that I have chosen for myself. Maybe this is just a simple reflection on not feeling connected to the only place I haven't really chosen: the town where I grew up. I'd be interested to know if you feel connected to particular places and if you consider yourself a "placed" person or not. (This was a topic of much debate in one of the classes I observed.) I don't consider myself "placed" I value the freedom to explore and move and roam. Also, I think I've always identified more with the people in history who transferred ideas and objects, the traders and travelers.

Anyway, the same day as the "placed" person discussion there was a question we all discussed in small groups during community meeting: What does home mean to you and how are you experiencing home at Woolman? One of the students in my group said that to her home was pretty much a place where, no matter what mood your in or what is on your plate for the day, you're glad that you woke up there. I think that's a nice way to check in with yourself about where you are. What does it mean if you don't like where you are when you just wake up? Get out! Get movin'

OK one last school/class related thought. The other day I participated in one of the kids' class activities which was to write a letter to yourself that you'll get back on graduation. I told myself to keep working and to appreciate where I am and be at peace with this time in my life, and other things, but something stood out. As I read over what I had already, I noticed I included the imperative "STAY BRAVE." Upon re-reading this I finished the note by saying, "just noticed I wrote 'STAY BRAVE' instead of 'BE BRAVE,' and I think that has to count for something I've already gained in this place." It was quite the "suddenly self-aware" moment.

Finally...something we should do together, before we die.