Grasshopping

 

Jogging, anniversaring, guestroom preparing, idea-hopping, podcasting, more jogging, swimming, snacking, natural world marveling...

And finally blogging. About my week. Expecting a special visitor for this school year, a high school student from Central Asia, while experiencing all kinds of emotions; twenty years ago, I was getting ready for my wedding day. Now, I am getting my AFS daughter's room ready. We chose each other. But this time around, I chose this trajectory, I chose to invite someone new in my life, because I chose myself first. And all the steps involved in the application process, probably a little similar to international adoption, has led me to be a vetted host family. I was filled with a dignity-restoring emotion when I was greeted by a ''dear Giroux Family'' to officialize my new role for the next 10 months !

My reality is quite different right now. Very different mindset. The past is often vivid though, like the celery green of this beauty I found last week while doing my muscular training on the steps. I don't recall having seen a grasshopper since I moved to the USA ! Although the color of this one looked quite different from the ones, smaller and brownish, I saw during my childhood, her visit brought me right back there. 

Very symbolic of my activities these days: not only I might seem to hop as I managed to decrease my walking and running times, but my mind is exploding with to-do lists, ideas, projects. I don't have time to read anymore or even to watch TV (ok, I admit I tried last evening, but even after my boyfriend managed in 2 seconds to fix what I thought was broken after a weird burning smell emanated from my remote control after I had tried to change its batteries, sure enough, it was basically impotent again. I find this very strange that it had worked when he had tried it hours ago and not at all when it was my turn...). I managed to misprocess the years written on a planner. I was looking for one starting now, because the one I got last year followed the academic year, and therefore is about to be finished. Only when I got home I realized I cannot start using the one I thought was so flowery and cute I immediately purchased: it is a 2026-2027 ! I seem to make more such mistakes lately... And yes, I ordered books on... dyslexia. Not joking. Those who thought of that concept must have a pretty good sense of humor... 

Anyway, I had been suspecting that I have a mild case of dyslexia for a while, but now it seems to be getting worse. I have always been an avid reader, and probably well compensated for through hyperfocusing, finding refuse in a rigorous use and memorization of a cognitivo-poetic structure like grammar, and creating immediate vivid images in my head upon reading (people with dyslexia are ''picture-thinkers'' apparently). But now I dread reading an email if it contains more than one paragraph. As a result, I grasshop from task to task, feeling exceptionally inefficient... Jogging, on the other hand, doesn't require much thinking, so I have an easier time improving on that realm. I have a solid routine now. I run 4 times per week. The initial inertia or temptation to go the route of the path of least resistance doesn't take as long to overcome. I don't seem to try to negotiate with myself as much about whether or not I should start lifting some weights (I simply just go do it) or hang that frame for my gallery wall (I simply pound the nail on the wall).

After two years of being in this house, this wall is no longer bare !
It seems to become a room in itself.
More pleasant to look at !

My special book (ok, I can still read this one because it is quite captivating) on Power Animals by Lori Morrison says that Grasshopper symbolizes abundance, change and prosperity. It can assist us in taking a leap of faith and reminds us that it may be a time to destroy what links us to the past, clearing the slate for new ideas. If Grasshopper comes into your life, ''you are excelling because of your efforts and will have opportunity to be a leader in the world''. I don't know about excelling, but I can identify with the effort part. And I don't know about leader in the world, but I am sure looking forward to guide and mentor my student who arrives in two days (she is currently in her very long flight) who might be a leader in this world. During AFS orientation over the weekend, I was pleased to meet the beautiful, empathetic community that cares about making connections with various cultures and the students who are so bright, go-getter and mature.

Grasshopper felt at home for many minutes
while I was admiring its legendary agility and luminous beauty.

Maybe the grasshopper means that my student, so brave to leave her country for the first time, and by herself, is taking a leap of faith and inspires me to do the same. And I thought of her so fondly during my morning jog at 7 this am as she has so many layovers, and naturally, hopping in the enchanted Forest delivered the words of truth for my next episode of Dr G's Dandelion Monologues (on leadership ! Stay tuned). Maybe the cute bug on my front porch was there to remind me of that. To take a leap of faith. To be a true leader.

Meanwhile... her room is almost ready ! There is space in my life and in my heart. In twenty years, my life has changed a lot. Some aspects certainly for the better. Namely, my own leap of faith: into the unknown, as I open my House of Enchantments and my heart to a young person.

Adieu depressing beige, welcome ''oh so pink'' !
To me, it is lotus or candy, each symbolizing resilience and youth, respectively.
May Bibi feel at home in California, within The House of Enchantments !