March-ing Toward Spring

Saturday, March 26, 2011:

This morning was filled with beautiful slow-falling snowflakes that gently and completely covered the Earth. Later we and our guests drove into Bayfield to visit the public library. We then took an hour walk along the Brownstone Trail that follows the lakeshore away from town.

My T'ai Chi Chih practice occurred in early evening as our friend and her two teenage sons argued about which movies to watch during our white sheet screening of action adventure? or documentary? films. Frankly, I was grateful to be upstairs away from the controversy.

It felt wonderful and rejuvenating to take time and space for myself. And, since it didn't matter to me which films we watched, I was perfectly happy to move and sway and circle the Chi. Though it wasn't quiet--the verbal jousting was repetitive and unceasing until some compromise was reached--I remained centered and (literally) above the fray.

Sunday, March 27, 2011:

Today is bright and shining. We had a late morning breakfast with our friends before they headed back to their home. It was wonderful to have guests and also wonderful to have peace and quiet restored to the homefront after they left.

My mid-afternoon T'ai Chi Chih practice (again held in the upstairs bedroom) was delightfully silent. No words spoken, no sounds filtered up from the main floor, no evidence at all that Frances and the dog and cat were located somewhere on the main floor beneath my feet.

While I moved I watched sunlight filter through the bedroom windows, noticed the stripes of tree trunk shadows lying atop the snow cover, and drenched myself in quiet. In the silence of a Sunday mid-afternoon I felt the Chi vibrating through my fingertips and felt gratitude for the presence (and departure) of friends....