I sure have missed you, my dear old friend.
It’s been some time since we last met — over a year, I’m sure. We used to be so close. You were one of my longest and most loyal relationships. But last year… well, it was a doozy. When Hurricane Helene hit, everything shifted. We sprang into action, caring for others before caring for ourselves. And somewhere in all that chaos and selflessness, I forgot the importance of tending to us.
Of course, I thought about you often.
“I need to go back to yoga… I should get to a class… I miss my yoga community…”
The thoughts were always there. But time kept moving, shifting from the aftermath of the hurricane to family commitments and work responsibilities. My body grew tighter and more restricted; my breath became shallow and arhythmic. And slowly, quietly, I set you aside.
Yes, I hiked, walked the dog, played tennis, kayaked… but I neglected the part of me that needs stillness and conscious movement — the sacred slowing down, the vibrations of community meditations and offerings.
So, this month, I recommitted to you.
As I walked into the studio — the same one I once taught in — I was met with your familiar warmth and welcome. On the stairs, I heard new teachers introducing themselves and greeting students. In the room, hugs and bright smiles greeted me from friends I hadn’t seen in far too long. My heart swelled — I truly had missed you.
Rolling out my mat, gathering my props… suddenly, my mind softened its pace, and my heart felt lighter. As my body began to move, the tension and tightness started — slowly, so slowly — to unwind.
Movement — gentle, awkward, honest.
I felt the stiffness speak first: hips resisting, shoulders holding old stories,
hamstrings reluctant to trust. But breath coaxed them open —
inhale, soften…
exhale, release.
Inhale, soften…
Exhale and release.
Slowly, ever so slowly, the knots unmade themselves.
The body I’d neglected opened its front door and welcomed me back inside.
I hadn’t realized how inflexible I’d become — yet I wasn’t surprised. That’s what happens when we stop listening to our bodies. But there was no judgment — not from you, not from me. Just a humble return, a beginner once more.
Sunlight streamed through the windows and kissed my skin, and I felt as if the Divine had placed a spark inside me — a reminder to keep showing up, to nurture what we have, to honor this friendship again.
Thank you for waiting for me so patiently.
I love you.
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