My life is a series of meetings and trainings. I go from one to the other, rarely at my computer this week. I barely have time to breath before I run to the next one.

Yesterday I was working with a faculty member all morning, ran to do an errand, and then ended up at the local Catholic elementary school. I was giving a training on Literacy through Photography. It was an in-service training for a group of instructors at the school.

We had a lot of fun. I took in some cameras from work, we did some writings and some photography. We printed photographs and shared words that were written about the photographs. The teachers seemed to be having a good time and were really getting in to it. Some of them were really giving it a lot of thought and consideration.

Then the class ended. And they asked me if I wanted to join them in prayer.

I don’t talk about religion much here but I think it is safe to say that I am not a religious person. I have been baptized (in a stupid attempt to endear myself to a man, I got baptized in the church he attended even though I knew it wasn’t the right thing for me — but fervently wanted to believe it was). I don’t attend church. I don’t have any desire to attend church. My church is the church of the world, the trees flying overhead, the breeze flowing through the branches, the earth beneath my feet.

When I was asked if I would join them in prayer, I didn’t know what to say. I was the furthest from the door so I couldn’t really make a quick getaway (and that would have been rude).

So, I joined their circle, taking hands in my hands. I bowed my head, didn’t close my eyes, listened respectfully to the prayer, and didn’t say “amen” at the end (I also didn’t cross myself as they all did). The prayer was nice, actually. The principal of the school thanked me, wished me well in my future, and hoped that everyone would be able to use the knowledge I brought to the session. It was religious but not uncomfortably so (although, when my name was mentioned a few times, I’m sure I did squirm a bit).

I had fun, prayer notwithstanding. I enjoyed sharing my knowledge with others and giving them new tools to use in their classrooms. In the end, a few people told me they could definitely use this in their class. That was cool. I was glad to hear that the fun of writing and photography would be passed down to the next generation. And maybe it will inspire the next Ansel Adams.

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My camera did arrive. It is beautiful. :-)