Because catching you all up with what's been going on in class, at work, and with friends would just be insane, I'd like to walk ya'll through the day of October 19th, my 21st birthday. I know some of you really wanted to be here with me, and I with you, so I thought to whatever extent I could, I'd let you guys pretend you were. This birthday, although not at all a typical 21st, may have been the best birthday of my existence so far.
As I rolled over that early Wednesday morning, I became conscious of an unexpected noise coming from the kitchen area--sizzling. "Good morning! Happy birthday! How many pieces of french toast can you eat?" Yes, I know, I have an amazing roommate (just wait it gets better). After Michelle informed me that the food would be a bit longer, I ditched the idea of breakfast-in-bed and decided to treat myself to a shower. The warm water felt great on my new 21-year-old body and I even decided to splurge with a good tooth floss. I never did get to flossing though... the next thing I knew, singing started erupting from outside the bathroom door. "Bless the day you were born!" A group of birthday choraliers greeted me with a loud and eccentric birthday song that perhaps could have used a bit more practice. But, that sure didn't stop the whole group (all fellow Mosswood residents) from singing loud and dancing all around on the bathroom porch.
As soon as the song and hugs ended, I shuffled back over to my yurt for fruit-covered french toast, spicy hashbrowns, and a brown-paper-bag-wrapped package addressed "To Dandelion, Happy Birthday, Love Western Hemlock." A few quick tares exposed a beautiful new copy of the book I've been raving about lately-- a field guide by David Scott for identifying bird feathers. Again, yes, I have an amazing roommate.
After an eventful morning, I was ready to head to class. Michelle and I walked up the hill to Linne Doran where I was greeted several times over with wishes of birthday bliss and happiness. Our class opened that day in our outdoor classroom, Malalo, with a fire and a beautiful thanksgiving address. The last given thanks ended with thankfulness for another year of life. You can imagine the chorus that broke out next in that little room. I was being sung my second birthday song of the day and it was only 9 o'clock in the morning. No complaints on my part.
The next gift I received was really just luck (if you even believe in such a thing). Our class focus for the day was aidless navigation, which meant that our entire day ended up being outdoors on our beautifully sacred chunk of land. We split up into clans and did some map studies, talked about a number of different navigational techniques, and then got into our main task of the day. Only at Wilderness Awareness School does teaching aidless navigation mean blindfolding the group, leading them out into the woods, and then disappearing without forewarning of any sort. Hahaha. Once our group finally realized that the instructors had left us with the task of getting back to Malalo, we spent the rest of the day aidlessly bush-wacking through thicket after thicket on a beautiful day in the Pacific North West forests. My clan, the winter wrens, ended up being the last clan back. We were also the only clan covered head to toe in sweat and scratches, we were also the only clan BEAMING.
Anyways, after class was over and our minds were separated, I traveled back down to the hill to the cozy little yurt to hang out for the next hour or so. Soupy (a carpenter friend from next door) came over and did some much-needed adjustments on my bed as a birthday gift. Sounds silly maybe, but it meant the world to me and has since made sleeping in here even better!
Thennnnn Michelle, Soupy, myself, and all of the other female Anake students got ready and left for our first official women's gathering, which would take place at the home of two of our Anake instructors, Lindsey and Laura. The night opened with music, chocolate, colorful scarves, tea, and dun-duh-duh-dunnnnnnn PUMPKIN PIE. Yes, again, my roommate is fucking awesome. She had remembered me mentioning once upon a time that it was an Estelle tradition to have pumpkin pie on my birthday. So, candles blown out, 3rd birthday song sung, a few birthday quiz questions later, and I was a happy, happy camper.
Then, to make things even better (who knew that were even possible at that point), the women's circle ended up being one of the most powerful and uplifting experiences I have yet to have in my 21 years of life. Explaining this experience alone would take the next month of entries, so I will simply state this: I have arrived in an incredible community of gifted, kind, and honest women, whom I am so honored to spend the next 8 months with. I left that circle feeling rejuvenated, refreshed, and so strongly supported.
When I finally arrived back home, I went and opened my birthday cards, packages, voicemails, emails, and facebook messages that had been taunting at me all day. What an incredible way to finish and incredible day. I am and extremely blessed girl to have friends and family who care about me as much as you all do.
AND to top it off, I found my camera that I thought I had lost AND I got the dehydrator I wanted without even having to sell my soul for it.
PHEW. Wow, yeah. That was definitely one of the best, if not THE best birthday I can remember. Thank you all for making it so worthwhile. P.s. I bought my first alcoholic beverage today--Mike's EXTRA Hard Lemonade. ;-)
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