In terms of physical things, I've started again a serious yoga practice, full of light and love and understanding. It has really made a difference each day, waking and praying with my body, and my soul, as one. I forgot how much of a difference yoga can actually make to your mind! And it was what I sorely needed.
My spanish is picking up quite fluidly now. I can communicate most things, save for specific, deeper things, but I have confidence that this will come in time - and that I can say things well!
One of the most powerful parts of my days for the past few weeks have been the recurring recognition of my things. I'm in this new place, and right now, for instance I have Missy Webb with me, encasing my legs: a pair of pants she gave to Monica who gave to me. I have a bag that my mother gave me, and two shirts from her youth: two of my favorites, bright blue and pungent red... I have pencils that I bought with money I was gifted by my family for birthdays, I have necklaces that Carabella made and gifted to me perhaps 2 years ago. I have games, like Slide, that Person taught me, that I'm now able to propogate further!
How much people have given me nonphysically... my parents, jeez, they gave me LIFE ITSELF... and the habits of looking, or touching, that you pick up from friends when they inspire you, the little ticks that make flirtatious movements flourish. The accents of speech, the things I know because of other people sharing. The love...
I have all that I have learned thus far in life, my ability to draw, to sing, to do minor acrobatics and YOGA. I have the ability to share these things further, giving actual gifts to people - whether they know it or now. How RICH this life is, EVERY DAY interacting and passing and knowing that people are complex webs of intricate weaving, full of possibility. Full of everything, and every possibility...
And what I'm being given here: almost daily I dance with my sobrina (niece), Maria Fernanda. I know salsa, merengue, bachata, and now we work on cueca. She knows lots of music, as do my primos (cousins)... and what's more is they constantly have an eagerness to share and make the best of communication, to help me understand. Its totally awesome to be in a culture where solid, generous communication is a commonplace thing. Where the sharing of energy, ideas and movement exists so physically. And in my experience, Chile is much more physical than the United States, in total... how people move, how people interact, what level of comfort people have about displaying their bodies, or moving through public, or even driving cars - which is also very scary! (the car part..)
But I also have objects... a beautiful necklace from my Tia Onyx, a clock from Juan Antonio, a wallet from Paula; things which are integrated now into my everyday life. Hopefully I'll make it to the post office soon - a great goal for tomorrow! Sending letters is not a habit, but I know how much I've appreciated letters and postcards from friends in faraway places. Plus you all deserve it, at LEAST!
And these things! They have such life! They contain stories. My favorite shoes (1 of 2 pairs I have here) I recieved when I was 16... that's 5 years of life, 5 years of walking, 5 years of dirt, of clean, of dancing of kicking and screaming and running and hoping and dreaming.
And this is what saves me! Realizing how much life I have with me, how many wonderful people and how excited I am to be alive.
Today at the end of my yoga practice I realized innately this: that everyday and every moment I want to give the most to myself and the world, simultaneously. Happiness, love, and all of that stuff that sounds cliche but is so profound when you find yourself in union with it, staring it at the face and simultaneously emanating LIFE!
THANK YOU, LIFE! I am so grateful and hopeful in this moment.
In this moment, this here, this eternal now!
p.s. more photos up on flickr - check the link a few posts back.
