Please Love Your Life

I was having trouble figuring out what to title this entry (an important detail when I only update once every other month!) when I came across a book in a Japanese book store entitled Chinglish –a book full of signs, billboards, and other random messages in Chinglish (technically a mix between Chinese in English, but in this book Chinese phrases translated into English). As I flipped through the hilarious and sometimes confusing book of badly translated Chinese, I found a billboard in Chinese that translated to “Please love your life.” For some reason, I just love this quote. It reminds me of the many reasons I do love my life.

So my summer has been filled with swim team, lessons, “babysitting” (i.e. hanging out with Sar), a trip to my elementary school to visit my 2nd grade teacher, “So you think you can Dance,” a few meetings with some of my old SMC professors, my 5-year high school reunion, and a recent trip up to Berkeley for a barbeque turned sleepover.

Swim team ended three weeks ago and I miss it already. Lately, I have been thinking a lot about where and when I want to go back to school for my MA and eventual doctorate. I hate to think that I might, sometime in the near future, have to give up coaching for the summer in order to pursue my other love—school. I met with my mentor and old Spanish professor, Lori, from St. Mary’s the other day and every time I see her, I am so inspired to continue my studies in Spanish language, culture, and linguistics—a love she instilled in me five years ago during my first college Spanish course. I see the joy and happiness her studies and teaching career have brought her and I can’t help but want to do what she does.

Swim season, as always, was fantastic this year. There is nothing better than seeing my swimmers’ smiles after getting a personal best or seeing my swimmers cheer for each other at the meets. Lessons were equally great this summer. I give lessons mostly to kids who are on the swim team, and it is so fun to see how they use what they learn in lessons during practice and in the meets! I am of course proud of all of my swimmers, but I am especially proud of a few swimmers I’ve been coaching for a couple of summers. I started coaching Christopher 3 summers ago and I am so proud of him for not only passing the swim test this year, but also learning how to swim backstroke, butterfly, and dive. I am also proud of Darian and Remi, who both improved tremendously this year in their strokes and in their times. And I am proud of Sarah, who I have been coaching for 4 summers, for always working hard and continuing to improve. My swimmers never fail to impress me.

The most recent highlight of my summer was my trip to San Diego this past weekend to visit my best friend Megan. We had a blast touring USD, going to the Padres game, shopping, coloring, watching movies and Disney channel shows, hanging out at the beach, taking pictures, eating pupusas, and reminiscing about high school. THANK YOU for having me Meg—this will definitely be remembered as a truly exceptional weekend and I’m sure some part of the weekend will be in a speech at each other’s weddings someday.

I don’t want to write too much more, but before I say “ciao,” I do need ask, or rather make a request that you all “PLEASE LOVE YOUR LIFE,” and know why you love it.

Arrivederci,
Kel

P.S. I think that SYTYCD is one of the most inspiring and amazing shows on television--as one of the judges said, "I don't feel like I watched a dance. I feel like I had an experience."