“You are beautiful” he said, “But I will have to leave you”.

—-

When I saw my students last week, I joked that my body had arrived but my soul was still in transit. I now know that it’s taken up permanent residence overseas as long as my family is in Korea.

We call just about every day and my heart melts when I see Luca and Olin. Invariably they crawl over to the phone and try to climb through the screen to reach me. I feel the same impulse.

It’s funny and sad.

I worry about my wife because we rely on each other constantly to make things work. I know our family is doing everything possible to support her and to care for the twins.

But I still worry.

These days I can read poetry with my morning coffee. I can shoot new work. I visit exhibitions and apply for opportunities. Yesterday I spent six hours straight writing a grant. No interruptions. What a luxury of freedom and focus that was.

But as Kundera once wrote, life is elsewhere.