Every Cell of the Body

 I remember a moment teaching back in May at the Havergal School in Toronto when I was walking down the hall and thought to myself, “I’m happy in every cell of my body!!!” And I was. 

 

It happened again tonight after our opening ceremony for our International Orff Course. A new group of some 80 souls, many from familiar places like Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Hong Kong, Macao, China and then two new ones—Mongolia and Israel! Quite an accomplishment in a time when it’s both so difficult to get into this country and so unappealing to come here in our present state of chaos. Many also from around the U.S.— Hawaii, Minnesota, Oregon and more. But the largest segment from—as it should be—California. 

 

Do I love the mix of energies from cultures gathering with the common goal of engaging in joyful music and dance and learning how to better serve the children in their schools? Yes, I do. Does the buzz already in the air uplift me and energize me? Yes, it does. Is it a grand pleasure to reunite with people I taught in the New Orleans Jazz Course, Orff Afrique, my recent trips to Bangkok and Hangzhou and get to work and play with them again? Yes, it is.

Does the perfect temperature Carmel Valley and its gentle rolling hills and cypress trees touch me with their natural beauty? Yes, they do. Was I delighted to have a little time free to swim in the pool? Yes, I was. Was I mightily impressed that this Hidden Valley Music Seminars Retreat Center made a giant inch of progess by having real metal silverware this year so I don’t have to nag people to keep re-using their plastic forks? Yes, I am. 

 

Could I go on? Yes, I could. But I do have to plan tomorrow’s lessons for the 33 people in my class, so I’ll stop here and just celebrate that rare feeling of utter and complete happiness— in every single cell of my body.