My Wednesday mornings will begin later now. I'm sad.

Typically on Tuesday nights, I get a text from Shulamith shortly before I go to bed: "Pick you up at 5:55 a.m.?" 

Ugh.

Yes, I do cringe every week when I read that text. I love my sleep. I love to wake up around 7:00ish, hurkle-durkle in bed while browsing my phone for 15-20 minutes, then go down to my gym to work out, with plenty of time to shower and be at school for a 10:00 class. Instead, on Wednesday mornings, I set my alarm for 5:45 a.m., giving me just enough time to get up, dress, brush teeth, and pull my hair into a pony. By then Shulamith is already parked in front of my house, texting "Here."

We drive the two minutes up to Origin Fitness Syndicate for our circuit strength training class with Courtney. It's hard. It's always hard. By far the hardest workout of my week. Sometimes as we walk into the gym, one of us whines, "I'm don't think I wanna do this today." But always, always when we walk out at 6:50, we feel happy. All those marvelous endorphins are doing their job, and we feel so great, like we've overcome the world! It's the most satisfying feeling! 

I need to offer a giant shoutout to Courtney. She is a fabulous teacher, trainer, and human. She is kind and supportive, yet manages to get me to do stuff I never thought I could do. "You can go heavier." (Can I, though?) And then I do. Though I began strength training about a year and a half ago, my progress has increased exponentially in the ten months I've had the opportunity to work with Courtney. The only problem is that other people don't seem to want to get up at 6:00 a.m. and join us, so while it's supposed to be a circuit training class, 90% of the time, it's just Shulamith and I who attend. 

And that is not enough people. This past week, the owner of the gym told Courtney that our Wednesday, 6:00 a.m. class is now canceled. I get it. Two people does not a class make. So I'm back on my own, as I am all the other days besides Wednesdays, and Shulamith found us a great app ("Sadie Active"). But I already miss that one ultra-challenging morning. I need to find a replacement for it, and I will. But, no, I don't think I'll ever be able to replace Courtney.

My Wednesday mornings will begin later now. I'm sad. 

Springing into break! (And showing up at the barricade)

Thursday at 11:20 a.m., I left the Herriman campus of Salt Lake Community College. I'm always happy to leave on Thursdays because it means my weekend has begun, but this week, let's just say my happiness was compounded, as this coming week is spring break at both my schools. Since I began teaching at multiple schools nine years ago, this has never happened. Never before has spring break at all my schools aligned. I always tell myself it's fine, that it's nice to have two or three "lighter" weeks. And it is. But seriously, the thought of not teaching anyone anything for the next 10 days....well let's just say I found myself springing into break with wild abandon.

Then I got this crazy idea that if I were to work so hard Thursday afternoon and all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, maybe I could catch up on grading and do nothing Monday - Friday connected to work. Hmmm? Would that even be possible? And it might have been, if my weekend had been free. But then I remembered that I was going to the Broadway touring production of Les Mis at Eccles Saturday afternoon with Isaiah. How did that slip my mind? Les Mis is my favorite musical, tied with Hadestown. 

So I worked hard Thursday and Friday, really hard, but I'm nowhere near caught up, so no, I won't get any break from grading, and I'm feeling a little less "springy" as a result. However, yesterday was pure delight to see Les Mis with Isaiah, followed by a delicious dinner. The show was fabulous in every way. I know the show inside out, and I still cried almost from the start in the scene with the Bishop, right through to the end when Fantine returns, and we hear the reprise, "Take my hand, and lead me to salvation. Take my love, for love is everlasting. And remember, the truth that once was spoken: to love another person is to see the face of God."

I wept for Fantine. I wept for Eponine. I wept for Javert. I wept for Jean Valjean. They don't call it Les Miserables for nothing, But I also felt joy! With all its suffering, this show, more than most, touches our hearts with the possibility of redemption, forgiveness, grace, and love. It also teaches us to show up for each other and for what is right. To show up at the barricade. I wonder how we can do that today, in these troubled times.

After the show, Isaiah and I walked the streets of downtown SLC, waiting for his favorite Italian restaurant to open for dinner. We talked about the pain and suffering raining down upon our nation and its allies because of the corruption and evil of the current administration. We talked about how helpless we feel, how we're pierced with the conviction to do something, but what?

During dinner, conversation shifted to other topics: latest family news, his upcoming trips (Taiwan in April!), his dating life (a tiny glimpse, but I'll take it!), and his satisfaction with his new position at Cvent. And of course we talked about the brilliance of the show we just watched. Isaiah has grown to love the theatre and the Broadway stage almost as much as Shulamith and me. But our focus always returned to the chaos that is our country. Never before have we been embarrassed to be Americans. It's heartbreaking, 

In the end we decided that if nothing else, we can make our voices heard. We can show up at the barricade. The bishop showed up for Jean Valjean; Fantine showed up for her daughter; Eponine showed up for Marius; Valjean showed up for everyone! Even Javert showed up for his convictions, sad and misguided though they were. And though our circumstances are different from theirs, the need to stand for what is right is not. Silence is not an option. Complacency is not an option. There is way too much at risk; there is way too much to lose.

"Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me?                                                            Beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?"

Beyond the barricade there is a nation I long to see, a nation founded upon the principles of democracy, not dictatorship. There is a nation where no one is above the law, and where a balance of power prevents tyranny. There is a nation that honors the words written on its Statue located on Liberty Island: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." There is a nation where all are welcomed, valued and affirmed as children of God, regardless of race, gender, national origin, immigration status, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or socioeconomic status. 

This is the nation I long to see. This is the nation I will stand for. My hero Senator Bernie Sanders is 83 years old. He could be sitting on a beach somewhere, sipping pina coladas with his wife. Instead, he's traveling from state to state, speaking out everywhere, doing all within this power to save the country from the stronghold of evil that seeks to destroy it. 

I don't have Bernie's influence or voice, but I can still make my voice heard, however small. 

I will show up at the barricade. Isaiah will too.