Give Me A 'T'

My right forearm is so sore. I am nearly two full days into my fourth summer as a tennis instructor at Gustavus Adolphus College's Tennis and Life Camps. (Some of my muscles are having a rude awakening to that reality...) Based on the fact that I missed over half of one summer from being in Argentina and part of this summer from being in Poland, I don't feel like a full-fledged veteran. Don't get me wrong - I love being here, and I especially love seeing all of the people who make it worth coming back for, but there is the definite disadvantage of not feeling as close with the staff as I could be. And as much as I always forward to coming back to St. Peter, I feel different this time around. I am a different person, I can tell, even if I can't concretely put my finger on it.

There is the most comfort in the familiar faces of my friends and colleagues, but one thing that surprised me was how comforted I feel when I recognize a camper from previous years. I have also felt surprised at both how natural and how spotty at the same time my teaching is. Of course that comes from not going through the beginning-of-the-summer training camp here or from not playing much tennis in Kraków. One of my friends here put it, "Don't worry - it's just like falling off a bike." Hmmm... Thanks, I think, for the encouragement.

Why do I like to come back, even if it's not the most comfortable of options for my current interests or schedule? This is an emotional place. This is a highly social and energetic place. Yes, those reasons are both true. But something that seals the deal is how beautiful the sky can be at sunset and twilight. The plains of Western Minnesota give way to an expansive sunset with its wide display of colors and light. The air smells good and clean. I think this is a healthy place in terms of my physicality and for my spirit. Except now I've got to get back outside to teach and catch up on my fabulous tennis tan...