Namaste.

Couldn't have known. 
My life was getting ready to change in a big, big way.

The year:  mid-2006
Real estate was insane.  If I wasn't out showing property, estimating values, or meeting with clients, I was at home with cell phone to ear.  Wife.  Mom.  Daughter.  Sister.  Friend.  Volunteer-extraordinaire. 

Candles burning at both ends and in the middle.  I knew I needed change and balance, but didn't know how to juggle one more plate. 

Enter my virgin voyage into yoga.
Brand new yoga mat.  New yoga clothes.  This may not work, but at least I was color-coordinated.

All around me were such graceful, balanced AND quiet people! 

Up-dog, down-dog, warrior poses, balance tree, monkey, twisted triange ... huh? I did my best to keep up, but it all felt like a game of Twister gone bad.  My right foot should be where?

Before I knew it, class was over.  I was getting ready to roll up my mat -- but all around me had become very still.  Folks were laying on their mats, eyes closed.  Okay, I'll play. 

What seemed like an eternity went by. 
I turned my head ever so slightly to the side and stole a peek ... no one was moving. 
Wow, they all looked so relaxed. 

Another eternity went by.

Holy crap, how long were we going to lay here?  I'm pretty sure we need milk.  Clients coming in this weekend and the car has been making a weird noise, need to get that checked.  Sam needs to bring cookies to class tomorrow.  Wonder if Kandace needs a ride to the game on Friday?

Okay, that's it, I'm outta here.  Five or 50 minutes, whatever ... shavasana or sha-blah-blah-blah, it's been long enough and I've got things to do. 

It was months later before my yoga mat and snappy yoga clothes budged from my closet.
But, this time my plate had been cleared for me.  Diagnosis: Cancer.  |
Life, or maybe it was death, shook me by the shoulders and said: "Time to make some major changes.  Where you gonna start missy?"

With my 'main course' of cancer, came many healthy side dishes of clarity, perspective, balance, quiet and peace.  And yoga?  It's been five years since I began my journey with yoga, but it's my dessert, of sorts.  It's my deep breath in a crazy, happy, busy world.

In Sanskrit, "Namaste" means the spirit in me respects the spirit in you.
Light and love to you.
Namaste my friend.