Immersion

Settling down with coffee, biscotti, and books.

I've been studying hard these past few days, buried in books as I prepare to teach Introduction to Poetry for the first time and to teach from a new textbook in my Humanities course on South Asia. I park myself at Cafe Kopi for hours at a time, and it feels like pure luxury to read and think and plan and then read some more.

Occasionally, I look up and notice that different people are now seated at the table next to mine. At the end of the day, I pile up my books, put them in my backpack, and walk a few blocks to my car.

The cold air on my face and the rhythm of my feet hitting the sidewalk take me back to my years as a student. I would focus for hours at a time on writing a paper and then clear my head on the walk home, feeling the satisfaction of having worked hard.

A few days from now, I'll return to faculty meetings and then to the busy pace of teaching five days a week. This immersion will become a pleasant memory. For now, though, I am enjoying diving into my books.

I have always loved being surrounded by books, pens, notepads--all the tools of my trade.  This photo was taken when I was several hours into my work.