I currently have a goal to go to yoga every day for a month. I purchased a 31-day unlimited pass and looked up all the schedules. Anyone who knows me well knows that when I get into something, I am all in. So my first week I decided I obviously needed to attend the 6:30 AM classes to make sure I got all my days in.
The night before the first early class, I had second thoughts. I debated. I hemmed, I hawed. And that evening I ultimately decided I was not going to go. I still set my alarm for 6:00 am so I could be productive, but I didn’t get anything ready.
Well. 6:00am rolls around and I’m like, I’ve gotta go. So I rush. I am getting dressed, getting work clothes, eating yogurt, brushing my teeth, you know the drill. And I get out my door by 6:13 (side note, 6:13 is my favorite time). Impressive, right? I drove to my yoga studio in South Minneapolis and am getting out of my car, lugging all my stuff in. Because, of course I have my laptop & productivity bag that I can’t leave in the car (not a safe neighborhood), then I also have my purse which has my work clothes. And I parked too close to a snowbank so I’m climbing over ice mountain, trying to get into the passengers side.
And then, someone hollers at me. It’s -1 degrees, still dark, 6:28am & not the safest neighborhood in Minneapolis, and someone is trying to get me to talk to them. I am so startled I almost drop everything. Across the street there is an old beater car with a man yelling out the window. I almost ignore him, but, #classicchloe, I go to see what he has to say. Thankfully the man was not alone. In his car with him was his wife. They had also planned on attending the yoga class, but apparently the teacher had texted them to say she was sick. So, no yoga class for me. They start to drive away, & thankful for the information, I head back to my car.
But then… they stop. And I stop. And they invite me the Y. In Midtown. For the walking track. And, because I’m me, I say yes. I did have a little wisdom, and drove my own car. The whole way there I was a little freaked out that I was following them to an abandoned lot where they would murder me, but I figured, it really couldn’t be that bad. I did snapchat Kylee (and only Kylee) my the story in case I disappeared.
We got to the Y & parked. They finally introduced themselves as Rick & Jo. Into the YWCA we went. They got me in on a guest pass where I had to sign in & write down who I was with. It got a little hairy because I had already forgot their names, so I just scribbled something in that box. We went upstairs & I walked the track with Jo for a couple laps & talked about our jobs & yoga practice. Rick re-joins us and tells us that there is an hour long yoga class. We decided to attend, but I mentioned I needed to bounce right after to get to work.
The class is slower than I am used to, but it was good. I enjoyed it. At the end of class I said a quick goodbye and rushed out. Which is where we get to the last hiccup. Because I had come in as a guest, I had to give my ID to the front desk. The front desk filed it away under Rick’s name. The problem was, I had never learned his last name & I had apparently decided his first name was Craig. The front desk man was super judgey when he informed me the kind strangers name was actually Rick. I then jetted out of there and went on with my day.
I wouldn’t say I learned anything from this experience, or had a transcendent moment, but I did find joy in spending time with every day people. Just another simple, every-day experience that shows the kindness of people.
My Yoga teacher has been talking a lot about Sankalpas lately. She explains Sankalpa simply as a one word the encompasses your intention or direction for the next period of time, whether it be 6 months, 18 months, or longer. It is similar to a resolution but simplified and meant to be more encompassing.
Candidly Chloe 