This morning I had the opportunity to go for a stroll around the school across the street from our house.  Every since I had cardamom in my coffee at that place in Huntington Beach, I have been making my french press with a spoonful of cardamom and a few mint leaves to float on top.  It felt special there and it feels special here too.  I try and be mindful as I make the coffee and listen to the water kettle whistle when it’s done, watch the sunlight and shadows on the tile counters, I love to use the handmade ceramic spoon that Gina made me to scoop the cardamom into the coffee grounds.  I’m nervous about North Korea and the news gives me anxiety.  I know it’s reality but sometimes a nice cup of coffee and a walk around the school can be good for my anxiety and helps to get my mind off the news for a little bit.  Motorcycle man loves to watch the news each morning and night, me not so much but I do get bits of it because the t.v. is simply on. 

I walk out the front door I’m thankful that our boys made it home safely from the night before, to see their cars parked in the driveway and out front is a feeling of gratitude right off the bat.  I take my cup of coffee with me so it’s more of a stroll than a serious power walk.  I want to take it all in before I get started with my day.  I don’t do this often, it’s actually very rare but today I had the opportunity.  I keep proclaiming that I’m not a morning person, yet I love mornings the most. 

I begin my walk on the west side of the school, the side we live on.  I immediately begin to notice the trash in my path, the fast food wrappers, the empty “prescription” weed container, the broken glass.  I want to pick it all up but if I picked it ALL up I would be bending over every few seconds and I immediately feel anger and frustration.  Why do people think it’s OK to just leave their trash? I talk to myself a lot in my head and reel myself back in, take my own advice.  Focus on the good.  Just focus on the good.  I look at the grass instead, the part that is green and has dew sparkling on the individual blades, already I’m feeling better.  Then I turn the corner to the north side of the school and the dew begins to really shimmer and shine, it looks like diamonds scattered on the grass.  It feels a little naked on this side without the big, tall palm trees but I’m getting used to the little trees that have pink flowers that replaced the gigantic palms, the trees that have yellow flowers too, it will be nice to watch them grow and mature and go through their seasons. 

As I get to the east side of the school I start to notice the poor little earthworms that the ants seem to like to attack, then I think about being in school again.  I remember that when kids are different the pack likes to pick on them.  It’s easy to pick on others who are different when the rest band together and are all the same. Since I’m already past school age and have grown children and one still in school I know that the different kids begin to stand out in the world.  They are strong for what they endured and they were given the gift of empathy and deep love for others. I think about painting those pretty rocks for the kids at this school to find on their way to and from school like and Easter egg hunt.  I picture myself painting the rocks and hiding them on my walks. 

I turn the last corner on the south side and get to watch my tall shadow walk in front of me. I listen to the birds and feel grateful for another day.  That I woke up and that I can actually walk freely in the morning. Grateful that I can come home and type out all the thoughts that whirled inside my head as I walked all four sides of the school today.