One II

I have a secret to tell you. I've been taking ballet classes. For the first time. Ever. "What? At your age?", I can hear you ask. Yes, and I'm twenty years younger than the oldest student in my class. There are some amazing things I've learned, taking ballet. It's hard, very hard. Moving your arms and legs about simultaneously and often in opposite directions, while trying to keep up with an instructor speaking French is hard.  Your mind reels as you try to remember what a Pas de Basque is while keeping your shoulders down, your arms in a perfect graceful curve and your tummy tightened. And sometimes, I do miserably. But I keep going back BECAUSE it is hard, and it feels good to do hard things and feel yourself progress. These things translate nicely to other parts of life. You don't give up just because a thing is hard, you just try harder and keep trying until you get the thing right, because that moment when you really nail a Pas de Basque? There's nothing else like it. And then maybe you too might be tempted to add Modern dance to the mix.

One

You know the type. That person who carries her camera with her everywhere she goes and you can't eat a single bite of whatever it is on your plate until she's recorded that meal and that moment with her camera. And even after you've taken a few bites, there she is, still snapping away. I have been less of that person lately, not from lack of desire, but other things just have to take priority sometimes.

 

But today I was making granola, using my mother's preserves (best in the world, for the record), and I just had to capture this one quiet moment of the sweet taste of home. And sometimes that alone is all you need to make you happy.