My friend E went to an eco-conference recently that attracted forward-thinkers from all over the world. At lunch she sat at a table with a woman from india who told her that in the place she lives it is always hot, but lately it has been SO hot, so much hotter than hot--125 degrees Fahrenheit--that birds were dropping dead out of the branches.

It wasn't that hot here, but almost 100 I think. I taught out in Lafayette, feeling tired and yet light. At the end of the day one of the regular teachers said to me, "Some of us were talking about you, and how this year--you're different. So relaxed with the kids, and they have been really enjoying you. I don't know if you could tell, but your lessons have been wonderful."

"Thank you, thank you for telling me," I said. I was overwhelmed. No, I couldn't tell. I thought I was just tired and burned out, as usual. And fat, to boot. But the big changes I have gone through this year--and the happiness of having a real home life to come home to--must be showing up. "Thank you for telling me," I said again, and passed out of there, gratefully.

And then E woke me from a nap this afternoon, crying with joy on the phone because of the historic decision: the California Supreme Court has upheld the rights of same sex couples to marry. Of course there will be challenges. of course this is not the last of the fight. But the tide is turning, as surely and inexporably as it did when the rights of white and black people to intermarry were contested. Soon, this struggle will seem as quaint and obvious as that one does to us now.

A happy day. The Castro will be a huge party tonight, heat or no heat. As for us, we're going to sip a celebratory glass of wine and watch "Back to the Future."