Active Mind, Creative Spirit
Some of my early drafts had stories that I later cut for various reasons. Most were cut because I felt they didn’t add to the story or to anyone’s character. But I forgot that I cut this one. And in retrospect I probably should have left it. It serves to close a small loop from the beginning of the book, and perhaps fleshes out a few of the characters in minute ways, but is otherwise inconsequential.
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Time moves slowly here. There are not even any rushed tourists on their way to somewhere, and I feel the beat of rural Solu full force. It moves me. But beyond that, I have been hiking for 5-ish hours every day for the last 2 weeks, and now we are sitting, resting, not moving all at once. My muscles are itchy and want some exercise. I find a quiet corner of the patio to turn some cartwheels and press into a few handstands. Young Sonam finds it interesting. I know he has done some yoga, and I caught him in Tengboche flipping around in the grass beside the trail. “Handstand contest, Sonam?” I challenge him.