Tuesday, March 5, 2013

How My 7 Year Old Got Really Namaste-y

So my husband and I are trying yoga. He bought some DVDs on beginning yoga for us to try (Done by Ashley Turner, is she good? I have no idea) and we have taken a stab at it this past week. With my personal "epic challenge" of doing "something" for at least 5 minutes a day, this seems to make sense. A couple of 40-somethings limbering up their midlife muscles and trying to make some positive changes in their lives. Sounds good right?

That was before my 7 year old showed us up. He wanted to join us. When he asked I wasn't sure what to say. Mostly because my husband and I have exactly ZERO time for just the two of us and he has been feeling the pinch of that lately. I was afraid if I said okay to Daniel I would make my husband feel like I didn't want to spend one on one time with him (you know how that is, right?). As I was contemplating and balancing the needs of my husband for my attention with the needs of a seven year old boy for my attention, my husband answered the question for me - "Sure Daniel, you can come and try it!"

So Daniel joined us. He was cute. He was funny. He was attentive. And boy was he limber. None of the poses were difficult for him. He chatted and joked his way through all the poses while Steve and I moaned and groaned through some vague representations of what the poses should be. Don't get me wrong we enjoyed ourselves and didn't do too badly for first-timers, but clearly our seven-year-old is in much better shape than we are. I was at turns touched with his sweet encouragements to me and mildly annoyed at his easy flexibility. ("Try having four kids and feeling that flexible pal," I thought ruefully.)

I'm so glad though that Daniel joined us. He was a gentle reminder of where we all start off in life. We all start off flexible, confident, and pleased with ourselves before the world batters us and pushes us into metaphorical corners where we stiffen up and forget how to be so pliable, moldable and free. Someone told me yoga is not so much about being perfectly flexible as it is being kind to yourself. So maybe we should encourage Daniel to keep doing it with us. He's a kind soul. He's definitely kind to his Mommy. Sometimes he could be kinder to his Daddy, but overall he is a sweet child. It might be a nice physical reminder to be kind to ourselves if he keeps coming.

Either way, I am hoping that yoga is just another tool in the arsenal of how to combat depression for me. If I have more energy and my body is in better shape, who knows where my life could lead?

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