Leaping to The Sky

After about 45 minuets of the class, or shall I say 45 minutes of desperately trying to keep up and not be a total embarrassment to my name we got to my favorite part. As the teacher put it "So, this is the creative part of class, one by one I want you to run across the floor and leap into the air. You can do whatever you want as long as your feet leave the ground" and it was liquid art... about 30 girls running, leaping into the air, faces upheld, joy on their faces, a moment to just let loose... and live. My turn came around and I too experienced that joy that moment of flight, being airborne, just leaving worries an
d fears on the ground below and letting loose.
     It was week of two of a free ballet class I've been attending, I never thought it was something I would do, but like so many other things on campus it was there, and it was free, and hey why not?! College is a learning experience for everyone at some level or another. Something that totally puts you out of your comfort zone, but it is your choice as to how far you will go to grasp all it has to offer. With 22,000 students and hundreds of activities, clubs, and events there was more then enough to pick from and by now, friday and week two I have tried many.  For a lot of people this time is when you learn your strengths and weaknesses, what you want to spend the rest of your life doing, and what you know isn't a good idea. Additionally for many it is the first time in their life they don't have hovering parents, or strict school guidelines, and because of that many things such as eating habits, safety, good judgment etc. can become lessened, and yet given this hypothetical full and total freedom, I feel myself surging and trying to succeed to be the best person I can be. Eating healthier and more consistently, exercising (even if its through wonderfully fun classes) meeting all sorts of different people and listening to their stories, taking time for myself alone when I need to. I just feel as though who knows if the classes themselves, the concept of getting a degree is truly worth it, but thus far the experience is, I see myself growing into a successful person, not in terms of a stereotypical worth, the best grades, a grade job, but success in terms of living life to its fullest, and that is something of such a great value that this type of institution can provide, and everyone should be able to experience that. 

This Long Awaited Entry

     I was a freshman in high school when I began this, right? Or eighth grade... I can quite remember. I'm pretty sure I was 14 though. The point is... after all that the band, theater, evil math classes, accidents, horses, Ireland, Paris, reenactments, more horses... after all of that I am sitting here now writing this from a dorm room at Ohio University.
    There was definitely a glimmer of nervousness, but overall I had been long overdue to go to school, while I love them dearly I was very much done with the living at home, the constant isolation from people my age, and gosh I even was bored of NOT going to school, so here I am, and I can positively say that I am happy. I was confidently striding up morton hill (which I finally learned the name of) from the dining hall where I had a leisurely late breakfast. (If you can arrive by 10:45 you can get you're cereal and coffee in peace before that annoying early lunch 11 am crowd bursts in, by which point you've already claimed the entire booth in the corner.) anyway... I was confidently striding up Morton hill. The air was chilly, and I was wrapped in my heavy ski parka, but had that gentle promise of warm and spring, a few months to come yes, but it's on its way. Spring always brings me smiles, its my favorite season, and I cannot help but feel pure glee when I feel that promise, so I was in fantastic mood, despite my calves truly burning from the ballet class I spontaneously took last night (and no, I do not dance... but it was fun and I shall go back). I realized that I had been here a full week, and the campus already felt like home.
    It was a long week for sure, classes, clubs, meetings, new friends, embarrassment and confusion, fun and laughter. In summery a very long week, but I have come out of it strong, knowing that the horror of switching schools last minute (seriously kids, just pick one), and the last minute rush to get everything packed and ready (watch the show Gilmore girls, season 4 for a nice visual), was all worth it. Because I have a place not only to get that high esteemed education, but also a place to grow, to find lifelong friends, to try out things I wouldn't have imagined (I shall begin my fencing lessons sunday, my swing dance on wednesday, and Thursday attend another ASL meeting), maybe another place would have held me in the happy state I am experiencing, yes there is irritation and stress, without that it would be worrying, but it is that knowledge that I have once again found the lock to my key, a place that fits snuggly and tight, and so... I am happy.

Sorry for the usual number of grammatical errors. I wrote this without my glasses and am half asleep. Cheers! 

Happy New Year!

   The five us, well six if one includes the nimble brown and white dog bounding alongside us, ran down the trail partly serious about reaching our destination and partly exalting in the beautiful night. Despite being deep in the forest, trees arching over the path, the moon and stars cut beautiful glimmers of magical light through the naked branches lending us more then enough light to see. The cloaks we had formally decided to wear, red, green, and black swirled around our ankles as we came to a halt on the Cascades bridge. Overtop the velvety black water, in some places partially hidden by pristine new ice we stood. As the river glided and whispered over the rocks before cascading down the waterfall with its comforting wild sound. The forest seemed still, and quiet but we were filled with the glee of the New Year. We had arrived one minute past midnight, but that was of no concern. Taking the dead leaves which we had earlier collected and inscribed with matters of the past year to let go, and resolutions of the new to intake we tossed them over the bridge, into the shallow yet endless depths of the river below. The formal act done we took silver goblets and poured into them sparkling peach juice with a few minutes of joking as we realized we had forgotten to bring something to open the bottle, but in a state new beginnings we got the bottle open and toasted the New Year.
     The night seemed more then perfect. The air was chilled only about 11 degrees fahrenheit, yet we stood on the center of the bridge, having put the silver cups down we clasped hands, huddling in a circle of warmth and friendship, the water still rushing below, the dog wandering the forest but coming back to check in, to make sure his humans were ok, standing there we sang. Songs of friendship and love, there was no need for anything encased in the comforting dark, the friendly forest, the stars glittering above, the warrior of winter: Orion seeming to gaze down at us, protecting us, blessing us. Few times in life can something be labeled as perfection, true perfection, but the stepping in to 2015, this quiet and serene celebration with true friends in the Glen what I have previous called, and stand by the home of my heart... it was perfect. A moment of pure bliss, joy, and a reassurance that the year to come would bring more then just the smile that this beautiful night brought to my face.