Caving

OK, now for something completely different... Yesterday, in celebration of my dear friend Calliope's significant birthday, a group of 5 women went caving in upstate New York. We entered the mouth of the cave, the term wild cave was our guide's name for the place we went. We crawled through a tiny hole in the earth and entered this underground realm that was terrifying and spectacular at the same time. Entering the cave was the scariest part the adventure for this "spelunker", a term for the inexperienced caver. (me!) I had no headlamp, but everyone else did, making my dependence on the others essential. We walked through 42 degree F. water, crawled on our bellies through mud and water, squeezed out bodies through tiny tunnels in total darkness and after 3 1/2 hours, emerged exhausted, but transformed. What a day!

In blogsphere we talk about community. Community is so many things. This particular community, Calliope's friends, is one I cherish and feel united with through our metaphoric near death/birthing experience.