Y is for Yoga

As I mentioned yesterday, The Mailman and I have yoga class on Monday nights at the Y. In fifteen years of marriage, this has been one of my favorite things we have done together. I never knew how much fun it would be to watch the teacher demonstrate a pose, then look at each other, laugh, shake our heads and say "I don't think so." Or then to try it anyway, and, upon succeeding, turn back to each other and say, "I did it, did you?" This is how it's gone for so many poses; the Fish, the Swan, the Sun Salute, Upward Dog, Downward Dog, Cobra, Bridge, Boat, Bow. But not the shoulder stand.

The Mailman can execute a beautiful shoulder stand. It is graceful, it is elegant, demonstrating both strength and balance simultaneously. I know this because I can do little more than admire it as I struggle to lift my ample hips more than three or four inches off the mat. But it's not all in vain. The longer I lay there and struggle against gravity and 30 years of bad eating habits, the more I find to admire about him. I admire the support he offered by taking the class with me in the first place, the honest effort and dedication he has given it, the joy he has brought to it for me. I admire the flexibility of his mind that allows him to move from doing this for me to doing it for himself, to discover and embrace that he enjoys it and looks forward to it.

As I move on to the Fish, which I don't mind saying I excel at, I feel profoundly happy to have him there with me. Not just in class, but in life as well. Because life and marriage tend to be a lot like yoga class. A serious of challenges put before you that make you laugh and shake your head and say "I don't think so!" But when you push through and give it a try, you often get to look at each other and say "We did it!" And often the best part is doing it together.