i'm sitting upstairs in jerry & monique's new conord home (totally rebuilit) overlooking white pond. it's a lovely autumn morning and we had an intimate family time yesterday afternoon/evening w/ jerry, once again, preparing exquisite asian home-cooked dinner of scallops, brocolli and a wonderful dessert of steamed/cooked pears and plums.
no doubt, that new england in the fall is absolutely, dream-like gorgeous. in the past week i've driven back and forth from boston to western massachuetts twice (four trips) to meet josh, to come back w/ him to bruce's to take him home again and to return now to jerry's. highway 2 is an easy, relaxing road that runs along northern mass. away from the busier world of the turnpike to the south. the local forests have been resplendent and alive in their range of colors. breath-taking. another form of divinity on earth. such hues of auburn, rust, mahogany, peach, apricot, russet, damask -- what words can describe the opulence of nature's original dying palate? with the radio on, with bruce's new 'magic' album on the cd player, josh next to me twice, it was a joy driving these back routes.
i then took the back roads along the connecticut river from northfield mount hermon to amherst the other day after i finally said 'adieu' to him on tuesday morning at school when i'd come to give him some cables he'd left in the car and some powdered milk for his nepali tea.
clearly joshua's happy in his new world, thriving and growing in so many ways. as sad as it is to leave him here, and i had some serious sepration anxiety for myself on monday night sitting in his dorm room before leaving, i know that this is the best thing for him in so many, many maturing ways. he needed to see one of us and feel that our family wasn't that far away, but, in truth, he's begun to build his own world of friends, challenges and joys over here already. nmh, in these ways, is purrrfect for his body, mind and soul. he's stretching out into the larger world, american and global, that k'du couldn't offer him. he's seeing a larger sky & universe and attracted by it.
i, too, enjoyed the talks i gave at amherst college after leaving josh. the first to a human rights class w/ a young, cerebral professor, adam sitze, with some asian women from pakistan, yemen and egypt who were particularly interested in the subject. i spoke on my own life journey post-amherst then delved into some complexities of human rights work in bhutan, burma & with the taliban in afghanistan over a lunch of pizza. that evening, i spoke on the human rights situation in nepal to a more general audience, 9including a young rana woman from mt. holyoke college (rato bangala graduate) and professor amrita basu, who teaches women's empowerment at amherst. all fun, as the young students who attended were quite stimulating to talk to during & after the formal presentations.
as for me, the same love for this natural and comfortable world. rural mass. is a very settled and peaceful place. although i'm overawed by mega-stores like "bed, bath & beyond" with their array of everything everywhere. it's a bit ovewhelming & frightening for a small town kid from k'du... but, it feels good to be away from the vulgarity of k'du's urban crunch, crowds and degradation. although, as we know, that is always balanced by the beauty, magic and individuality of our own home & garden. such are the contrasts of our lives.
i'm off today to madison to see gary giorgi and then drive up to minneapolis to see bruce in concert. can't wait! then a few days w/ mom and dad and claudia before coming back to boston to see bruce & buff again (which has been quite easy & nice), as well as do another talk at tufts university next friday before departing early saturday. i feel like i'm on a tour america here, but enjoying it all.
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