Silence

St. Louis had it's first and maybe only snowfall of the season. I'm not sure what season though considering it has fluctuated from 65 and sunny to 20 and cloudy on and off since October. Confusing for sure, but wow the snow was amazing today. Sitting in our OT auditorium (aka my second home) the snow stole the show of every lecturer. It was so fun to look around at everyone's excited faces, and even better, the Californian or Hawaiian classmates who were seeing snow's beauty for the first time! Beyond it's beauty, snow has an uncanny ability to silence the world. What a much-needed period for life to have - silence. I can't wait to sleep and regenerate in the most naturally calm atmosphere I could ask for.

I also had a much needed catch-up with a classmate, which reminded me of my appreciation of communication. Not only speech but eyebrows, smiles, eye squints, shrugs, claps, hops, hugs, high fives, high kicks etc. It reminded me of my cadaver lab and learning about facial muscles that have a sole purpose of expressing feeling. It's amazing and so wonderful to be able to connect through our body language.

I also ran into gratitude for the idea of lost and found. Not necessarily in the traditional sense, but I guess I "lost" $5 and then got to find it this morning in my laundry!! It's almost disturbing how wonderful this feeling was considering this is not an additional $5 only misplaced and luckily found, but I'm grateful for it nonetheless. I adore when my insides warm with happiness creating a huge smile I can keep all to myself about my find!

Lastly, something that I can only imagine my appreciation for...HOT AIR BALLOONING! I received possibly the most exciting gift from possibly the dearest non-family member (Christian Edmund Rice). I have dreamt, day dreamed, talked about, imagined and pined over the chance to go up into the atmosphere in a hot air balloon. I am overwhelmingly excited to quietly hover over the green trees, maybe touching the clouds, and now I get to with my best friend!!!