Snow
I woke up this morning and saw a beautiful, thin blanket of whiteness on the ground and that just made me happy! It started my day off with a smile and an excitement that is hard to top... and I have no clue why.
During my senior year of college, I sat and watched the last snow fall of the spring for about 3 hours... quietly crying the whole time. I knew that I would soon be leaving New York and I knew that it would be the last time for quite a while that I would get to see the snow falling. It made me happy to watch, but it was bitter-sweet knowing that it was the final peace of my college career.
I have seen snow again since then, but it has never been the same - I haven't had the opportunity to sit in quiet and do nothing but watch the soft, fluffy snow flakes flutter gently to the ground. For me, it was like watching little pieces of purification weave themselves together to cover the dark, harsh ground. As happy as it made me to wake up to it this morning, I wish I had known when it was in the act of snowing in order to watch the carefree flakes flutter down. Well... maybe next time.
Another wonder of snow: the closure of school!!! My first day with two classes has been canceled due to the fact that Texans do NOT know how to drive and should never be allowed to try when there is any type of moisture on the ground. But, here I am a dork again because I was looking forward to these two classes (Environmental Health and Anthropology and Public Health). I am excited to learn from my Env. professor as everyone I have talked to says that he is really into the field and loves to talk about the issues that everyone - especially our government - should be paying attention to. AND, he was in the Public Health Service Corps for 20-someodd years - which is so strange to have him now as I try to get in. As for the other class, Anthro. and P.H., these are the two degrees I am working on (I am the only person required to take this class) and I am excited to learn about how I will be incorporating both of them in my working life! It will be quite a bit of reading, but that's where the knowledge comes from - I have enjoyed learning what people are doing and how they are getting it done and what the plans are for the future so much already.
These two degrees hit me pretty hard last semester - it's hard to not get depressed when you spend 12 hours a week discussing and an un-godly amount of time reading about nothing but disparity. There is so much work to be done in this world and so much that will never be made right. HOWEVER, I have a different attitude right now - this semester will be about learning the ways in which change CAN happen, about what I CAN do, about the wonderful things people are doing around the world right now. I already know where my niche is - I know that I have the ability to speak about sex in a way which many others cannot. This semester will be about figuring out the best place to do that and to accomplish something to help even a couple of people pull away from the disparities. (I told you I'm a dork about snow - it brings out the renewal in me!)
I know it's a bit late to be putting NY Resolutions up, which is fine because I don't really do them. I am not saying that I will quit smoking and drop 25 pounds by X month, but I am making a dedication to my health this year. Getting to the gym, taking vitamins, doing more yoga, cutting back on the amount of cigarettes... all of these things got me through last semester when all I wanted to do was cry most of the time. I can't imagine what they will do for me when I am as happy and focused as I am now. So, I just vow to keep going in the same direction I was heading in and to be nice to the thing that allows me the freedom to do whatever I want: my body.