Today I don’t have any plans; I will just see where the wind takes me. I love days like this, where I can sleep in, and leisurely start my day.

Last night I went to an outdoor house concert in Utley, Texas, and met a wonderful musician and artist who also used to be an art teacher like me. We knew of each other’s artwork through social media, but had never met. We struck up a conversation in between bands and it was so nice to be in sync with another person; the words just began to flow. She shared some personal information about her health, and her mental state while teaching. I felt comfortable sharing my struggle with teaching middle school, how I experienced a depression, and chose to resign. I told her I was bipolar. We also both had people in our life who are on the autism spectrum. It is rare for me to feel so comfortable that I open up to someone I just met. Usually communication feels like such a struggle for me. She was such an open person, and we had so much in common, that it made it easy for me to share personal details about my life. It was truly a joy to meet her. The evening was filled with great live music, a beautiful outdoor space, interesting conversation and only one alcoholic drink, so I consider the night a success.

Tomorrow, weather permitting, we will take our class out to the school’s courtyard to watch the solar eclipse. They all have special needs, so I am unsure how they will react to the event. It may just be a challenge keeping their glasses on. Or it could be a spectacular moment for them. It will be a day full of surprises, of that I am certain.