Jan. 29th

Tonight we will celebrate our farewell with a dinner invitation to a friend Gayle’s house. 

The dining table is set in a curious way. In the center are 4 Resin Chinese Dragons. On each of our place setting is a red string with a tiny metal dragon symbol and a couple of brass bells.

 After dinner Gayle, wishes us safe travel and explains the ritual she has created in our honor. She explains that each of us has a dragon in our lives, something that challenges us to overcome it. While it’s different for each of us, the very thing that seems most daunting is the same thing that tests us until we look it square in the eyes and meet it head on.  She shares about her dragon and each of us including another couple of friends, Aubrey and Bev, take a few moments to share about ours. After each turn, we ring our bells in unison as an affirmation that we are capable of meeting and overcoming our fears or what each dragon represents for us. I pack the bells and my dragon to take with me to CA.

Arriving home about 11pm we find Lindsay waiting for us. The three of us talk for awhile. She and I stay up till about 4am just chatting and watching TV together.