By 
I woke late this morning after ten hours of sleep. I’ve been in San Diego for a week visiting a friend, and last night, I moved to another friend’s house. Getting away from regular life has worked well for focusing on finishing my book, moving it into the next stage…this time, FINISHING it.
So I’m here a few days more. Oddly enough, I’ve known both of these friends from when I lived in Florida, pre-1996…“Back in the Day!” Last night, she and I had a great time catching up years of life and experience. Waking, I felt the late night, the change of locale, and the being-away-from-home in my bones. I said good morning, we chatted, then my body clamored and I said I needed to do a little yoga to wake up. I went in my bedroom and started.
As I finished up the first sun salutation, I could hear Mark Whitwell’s voice in my head: “Just grab them and show them how to raise their arms and breathe and then they’re doing yoga!” My default is solitude. I acknowledge the need for it.
But this morning, I could feel the connection with my friend in the other room, still strong after all these years. And I knew. I knew I needed—for me and for her—to Bend.
So I stopped and went to her room around the corner and said, “Hey, would you like to do yoga together? I don’t do much, but I could show you my little routine.”
She smiled and said, “Yes! That would be great. I was about to do some, too, thinking if you did it at home, I could, too.” And we did my short sun salutation routine, and woke and laughed and breathed together.
And because I bent my routine, I did more yoga than I would have alone and felt better.
Sometimes, in relationship and even little things like yoga, How We Are—our personality, preference, even the disciplined routine—benefits from bending. Sometimes, we must Bend to properly bend.
Namaste. And cheers to Bending.
