History

I used to go to Würzburg to the Benedictine monastery to learn Tai Chi.

A Chinese Catholic priest from Barcelona came to teach. He told us the story of escaping China with Catholic missionaries when their lives were threatened by the Red Army.

Thirty years later, he returned to visit his sister, his only living relative. He said that, instead of recounting the details of their struggles, they sat together in silence, knowing that their suffering was too deep to put into words. 

Leaves in a mist

 

Dreams of a jungle

Wandering through the moist air

Bliss, deep breaths in... out.

I am... not an old hippie

Many people think

Baby boomer means hippie

I wish it were so.

As someone who spent all my teenage years in a ballet studio during the day and many evenings and was in love with classical music, jazz, and Gregorian chant, I find it puzzling how many people assume I am an old hippie. I was 12 years old when Woodstock happened. 

And yes, my two sisters were more in love with the whole psychedelic vibes of that time, but they did this covertly and never let on to their far too-uncool younger sister.