This past Saturday in the Montgomery Studio, a group of yogis joined in our Hula Hoop Workshop. Mindy Ayers was teaching and she packed the house. The house was so packed, in fact, that I decided to give up my spot so that our clients could enjoy. Sitting outside the room, I heard Mindy say the best thing I've ever heard in recent years. It was presented in a simple, matter of fact way. It was said just the way you would talk to a child that you really really cared about. She said it to the group and it fluttered to my ears my sweet music...."Just keep trying"
Wowsie! I haven't heard anyone say that to me since I was little. I don't even know if I heard it then. I was always that kid who had to do it all on my own... still am. At the age of 42, mostly people just tell me what I can't do. I tell you what...I heard her say that and I picked up an extra hula and went out to the parking lot in the front of the studio. Mindy had given me a quickie lesson the day before that I totally failed. I picked up that hoop and started the hula. Her voice singing sweetly in my ear.... I just kept trying. You know what? After about 5 minutes I was hooping. At the age of 42, I was hooping. I've never been able to hoop. Hah! I just kept trying.What are trying to do?
I have a problem with animals. I can't resist them. I turn 5 when I am in a pet store. I would like to have one of every color, shape and size. We now have a family rule which is "no more pets".My daughter and I went to the pet store to get tadpools for the pond. Technically, tadpools cannot be considered pets as they are wild creatures and fend for themselves. Of course, the list of pond needs grew to goldfish and guppies. That seemed fine as they eat each other and support the "fend for yourself" ideal. Then we saw the turtle. He requires plants, special food and things to sit on. He clearly has personality and can't quite fend for himself.That turtle would be deemed a "pet". I said "no". My heart said "yes, please please please". My daughter was begging. I looked that little girl straight in the eye and in my best impersonation of a mother I said "Katie, someone has to be a grown-up and make a firm decision here...." Before I could go on she stomped her foot, crossed her arms and said, "Fine. I will be the grown up. We are getting the turtle." He seems very happy in our pond.Listen to your children. They are free and full of grace. They are the closest thing to spirit that can directly communicate with you. They understand that the reason we are here is to play....leela. We are here to enjoy every minute of our and our turtle's existence.Namaste
