An Autumn Day

It’s Sunday afternoon at Mt. Hermon. Cole (our fabulous student-teacher friend) is leaving this evening and we’re all stuffed to the gills and lounging about, wallowing in the glow of a tasty farewell brunch. The Snows are out in force, just visible through the trees. The air is sharp but it’s still glorious to be outside in the sunshine.

Anne is working on her slack-line skills, patiently balancing again and again on the thin web rope. Jamie and Ethan are lying spread-eagle in the grass practicing their yogic breathing as we offer commentary on whether or not their stomachs are inflating enough. Joanna is cutting Brian’s hair into a mullet (thoughI still do not understand the 20-something male’s fascination with this hair cut). And I’m sitting on a blanket diligently cutting strips of red and green paper for paper chains to festoon our common room.

Next week, grades are due and there’s a myriad of “getting ready to leave” things that need to be done, loose ends to be tied up. But no one is thinking about those things now. We’re all soaking up the sunshine, reveling in the company, and enjoying the moment. This is our life. And it is good.