Finding a Taproot of Love

Broomball & Birthday celebrations

i'm reminded of the rivers of love that flows through me when I return to Sirius.

my friends faces are bright, playful, beautiful. the energy we share is open and warm, reflecting off the wooden walls, rounded windows, and green plants than line the common room of Kailasha. i feel love sink deeper into my body with each breath, a reminder that i carry these people in my chest as i now depart and return to the city.

broomball!

last weekend, we celebrated the 40th birthday of one of my dearest friends. after dancing, dining, laughing, cuddling, and loving on each other until the deep hours of the night, the Sirius crew rose to a morning of brilliant sun.

snow billowed and sprinkled down from the pines above in slow-free fall, frozen for a brief moment in sunlight, sparkling like a spirit as the flakes danced on the wind.

I followed my feet along the quiet woods, head tilted back, cheeks burning with the cold, breath fresh in my lungs. as i walked, snow crunching underfoot, i watched the breath of the forest come and go in gentle whisps of white that let go from their hold on the branches above, swirling in the space between limbs.

the peace of the forest is resounding after my time in new york city, and i can't help but laugh and smile at the sheer joy of its beauty.

the time with my friends here carries a similar warmth: after my walk, we clean the kitchen together and begin to cook a breakfast feat - omelets with fresh veggies, cheese, potatoes, local bread, bagels, bacon and tea - the aroma of which wafts through the house, filling the space between the stories, laughter, and conversation that flows freely.

when breakfast is served, we gather round the table to bless the food, holding hands. wooden bowls and mugs are carried across the room to the corner we call the squish, and we settle into a circle. the room is warm, well-lit by the morning sun which washes in through the east windows and casts a rosy glow on our faces.

a baby sits in the middle of us, eyes wide in wonder, exploring the space between all these people. I can feel the joy in the air, palpable as the food we eat.

I find myself in a massage train on the stairs 5 people deep and feel tears come to my eyes as I hold loss, love, and connection in the same breath.

all told, this place, and these people, are medicine to me.

later that day, after extracting people from the cozy cuddle corner by force, we geared up for the outdoors. 14 of us took the ice clad in sneakers and boots, eyes bright and cheeks flushed. we bore shovels, paddles, and an eclectic mix of brooms pillaged from our storage spaces.

teams were called by captains, a water bottle set on each side as a goal, and a small, purple ball dropped in the center of the ice.

in a clash of powder and dust people swept, thwacked, blocked, hacked, and scooped up the ball, battling for control in the chaotic whirl. people shouted and cheered. broom tops flew through the air. bodies crashed into each other, slipped, and screeched across the ice. after hours of contest, the sun began to set. a near full moon rose and watched a tie-breaker comeback win.

the sky glowed softly with the dying light, accompanied by the scuff of snow and the low groan of shifting ice. laughing and hugging as we walked off the pond, my heart burned with intense gratitude and warmth — the felt sense of family and home.

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for now, beyond coaching ultimate at NMH again in the spring, i don't know what comes next. but i do know that this area is special.

sirius represents a taproot of love that is central to my life, and I want to be in relationship with these people, and this land. I want to ground in work, to live here for a year and develop my ability to build with my hands, to work the matter of this world, and see what emerges.

so i'm on the hunt for a carpentry job in western ma! (or teaching at a school that has need of me). if you have any ideas, i'd be grateful to hear from you :)

email: rivr.ston3@gmail.com

all my love,

River