My cat, Shumba, wants out.  He patiently sits staring at the back door, like a Zen master, knowing his desire will come true. It will open.

And it does. He goes merrily by the doorjamb, down the steps, over the dirt and sniffs the green daffodil shoots. Content, as if swallowing a fine wine, he sits, lifts his head to the sun and sniffs the air. His apricot fur blazes like baby Jesus with a cattail on this sunny March 1st morning.

I can’t help but want to ride through the street like Paul Revere shouting, “The daffodils are coming! The daffodils are coming!”

A friend and I planted them in November and I’ve been looking forward to their yellow blossoms all winter.

Along side my happiness for spring is sadness. A close friend of mine’s father, named Joe, passed away suddenly last Friday. He planned on shaving that morning and walking out of the hospital with his beloved grandchildren, daughter and wife.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do. He was my best friend,” said my friend Susan.

The unexpected news and death left my heart, hands and toes clinging to the soles of my shoes like an orangutan holding onto the tree of life  – for dear life – hoping the news wasn’t true. Joe’s death felt like a glass, accidently knocked off the table. You see it falling, know it’s falling but you just can’t stop or change it. He had so much more living left in him. And saying, “No.” won’t change anything. He was an exceptionally kind sailor/sun burnt nose/fun loving warmth of summer days on Cape Cod. The once perfect backdrop and canvas of summer has a tear in it.

Yoga, as I age, becomes more and more the practice of not only staying physically strong and flexible, but emotionally and mentally/emotionally strong and flexible in my ability to surrender to the never ending change of the glass half full, half empty, falling and smashing to the floor, breaking the container and acknowledging the spirit.

Yoga can be a way to practice peace through the heart, body and mind.

Ali, a yoga student, recently sent me her wonderful news:

Hi Jennifer,

I want to thank you for providing the space and instruction during last fall’s Transformational Vinyasa Series.  I enjoyed our Tuesday nights together.  It allowed me to take a break during the week and focus and have fun!  I always love how deliberate each pose is during your classes and how it gets to my core.  It was a special time as we transitioned into fall and I began to start thinking about having a baby.  I have been blessed since then to be pregnant, I am due in July.  Thanks for helping me prepare my mind and body.  I look forward to practicing again with you soon.

Namaste,
Ali

Thus we march forward with the miracle of the body and mind, story telling, memories, community and daffodils.

I truly look forward to seeing you soon.

Love,

Jennifer Schelter