Have you ever played a game or sport outside in the summer to where the sweat soaks through your clothes, your legs and body are so soar that you dread the time when the alarm will ring the next morning, and you’re so dirty that last weeks socks are jealous? Or maybe you remember the time when you got caught in the freezing cold rain or come in from playing in the snow and you’re body is red from the cold and the stale smell envelopes your nostrils as your take off your external clothes…what’s the next thing you do? Yeah, take a shower. As you’re in the shower you want to stay there for at least the next 2 hours and just let the water fall on your face with your eyes closed. The thought always enters my mind, “Man, this is the feeling for which showers were invented.” Ok, maybe not in those exact words…(I was trying not to leave a hanging participle, thanks mom).
That is the feeling I had during my time half way around the world from Thailand…in other words, the States. I can’t tell you how encouraged I was by the conversations, the smiles, the laughs, the COOL WEATHER!!! The time I had to run along Island Park and smell the salty air and see dogs that are spade and neutered as well as clean was refreshing! I loved it when my nieces and nephews gave me hugs and held my hand to ask me to play with them. I loved seeing them in the soccer uniform that I wore when I was their age! Hanging at the radio station and catching up with the random listener comments that make us all roll with laughter and hearing how each of my friends there have grown was fantastic. The time catching up with co-workers, VA and MD friends was also beyond description. Thanks for all of your hospitality, time, and hugs, they mean the world to me!
RI? Man, sweet and amazing times!! I wish I could help you understand the time of refreshment that comes with sitting around the table playing Mad Gab, singing songs, joking with my brothers or being the brunt of their jokes…or the hilarity of serious backyard wiffle ball complete with players having watermelon hanging from their jaws…or maybe the pain of being sandwich and tackled by 2 old brutes during TAG football and not being able to move my leg for 5 minutes. It was awesome! Its like a plant forgotten for days and then suddenly getting watered. The stems and each leaf suck up the water and the cell walls become stiff from the pressure of the sweet water of life. Wow, that sounds kind of over the top but I felt the need to throw in some biology.
As the plane set its wheels on the runway in good-ole Bangkok and my ears heard the sweet sound of Thai I felt like I was back home. Im so thankful for the joy of knowing Im where Im supposed to be. That helped me as I entered my house where the shower drain was clogged and the dirt and grass were stuck and hardened on each tile block. It also helped as the sweat dripped down my back as soon I was finished showering and the noise from the traffic on the street deadened my ears.
This year brings on many challenges as well as lots of laughs Im sure! The new teachers are wild, loud, and energetic which boosts the morale of all of us. Today, all teachers and students wear yellow shirts to honor the 60th year of the Kings reign. Signs and shirts everywhere proclaim, “We love the King!” My prayer is that this year people will say the same thing about me, that I truly love The King and his reign is forever. Hoo ha!!
Smiling as I think of the memories…