one week minus one day

Heading back to the Czech Republic in less than a week and I am mighty nervous tonight. In fact the last few days have been unusually anxiety-ridden. I suppose several factors contribute to this state of mind. Since grading was one, I will breathe out as I am finished (save one portfolio) with that task.

The one portfolio and its author are additional factors, but I am responsible for neither.

Another, and much more subtle factor is the disappearance of Craig Arnold. Days before his scheduled return from Japan, he went hiking on a small volcanic island called Kuchino-erabu-shima. He has been missing since April 26.

Craig and I were in graduate school at the same time and recently have been facebook friends, though other than noticing his updates, I have not communicated directly with him.

His disappearance is eerie. Awful for so many who are close to him. There has been a huge outpouring of support to continue the search after Japanese officials had called it off. Apparently, today there was reason for "cautious optimism".

This from the facebook page, Find Craig Arnold

5/7 3:51pm EST: Officials on Kuchino-erabu report that the search team from 1SRG spent all day yesterday following Craig's trail. They believe they have identified where Craig's tracks end at a steep incline. The team believes that Craig went down that incline but they do not believe it would necessarily be a fatal fall. Thanks to the Fund to Find Craig Arnold and the support of both U.S. and Japanese authorities, the family has been able to re-engage some of the original search team and at least one of the Fulbright volunteers on the island and they will rejoin the search today, coordinating with 1SRG, to try to determine if Craig is somewhere near that incline, and/or where his trail leads from there. We are cautiously but determinedly optimistic, and we are overwhelmed with gratitude to the search team, the local Japanese authorities, the Fulbright volunteers, and all those who have been contributing so generously to this effort as it continues.

Breathe out again.

Kinda.

So, I'm going to take a long bike ride this weekend. And I'm going to a bon voyage party tomorrow night with many of my favorite people.

I will keep thinking about Craig's last posts on Volacano Pilgrim

Danger has a way of cutting through melancholy, the real fear blinding you to the fear dimly imagined. If you could only always just escape death, you would never be sad again.