(from www.goldcountryartistsgallery.com... Go check this artist out. She's interesting.)Every Wednesday night is Girls' Night. Though all our girlfriends are invited, there is a core of three of us who make a point to make dinner together once a week. Then we watch something silly or play a game or, on the best nights, we can't stop talking.
We've been doing this for maybe 9 or 10 months. We had to move the night around now and again or postpone our evenings, but, largely, our Wednesday nights belonged to our friendships. Lately, it's been harder for me, specifically, to be consistent. I teach in the evenings and often more than one class in a row. I'm also teaching in a hot room, so I sweat out of pores I don't know I have and therefor need the time to shower off after class.
Tonight was one of the tough nights. I have my regular class and then I substituted for another teacher directly after. This caused my time to bleed into the usual hours of Girls' Night. I warned my friends that I would be late, to go to the restaurant without me... I'd meet them there when I could.
It was a great class. Quite a handful of hardworking newcomers and some veterans to the routine mixed in with each other. The energy of each class is very different... sometimes you can tell most people are tired or having a bad day. You can ask people to do something and, sometimes they all move to their own drum... other times, everyone seems to be breathing the same breath and they all move at once. Tonight was special... like a wave. The veterans moved initially all together and the younger newcomers steadily followed. Everyone was putting effort into their practice. Working, but finding joy in the movement. It was just as healing for me to be their guide as I hope it was for them to be in practice.
But, great classes lead to good conversations and open questions. I had a handful of people talk to me, ask me about certain poses, and then after some exchanges of heartfelt gratitude, it was time to mop. One of the interns graciously helped me to clean the room for the next class so I could hop into the shower.
I always forget something which always slows me down. It triggers a seeking mechanism and my brain slows my activities so I can verify where I went wrong (I'm just weird like that). I took my shower as quickly as I could.
Wet hair and all, I ran out to the car. I sent a text message that I was leaving the studio and then I started the engine. The drive back to Williamsburg is sort of... hypnotic? I'm so used to it, I'm on auto-pilot. I don't always know how I arrived back to town.
I called Caro to tell her that I was almost there. She said, "Okay. We'll be waiting for you. We wanted to wait for you before we started dinner."
If something had been anywhere near my car, I would have run into it.
I was just so touched. I would have understood if they had started eating without me... they had been there over an hour before I made it to town. But, no. They voluntarily waited so we could all still eat together despite my circumstances.
It's really very simple to show someone that they mean something to you, that their presence in your life is significant. A spontaneous phone call to let someone know that they were on your mind. Engaging your friends, once in a while at least, in a way that matters to them (playing games they like, going to a movie together even if you didn't want to see it, reading what they write, etc). Sending cards, you know, real ones, in the mail. Smiling at them even when they look like death on a stick (or in a glass, right girls?)... because you're glad that they are there.
Some people have a gift for this. There is a teacher at one of my studios who just injects light and goodness into my bad morning mood (I'm not human until about 11). No matter what sour puss face I'm making, she places a hand on my shoulder and smiles her genuine, warm smile. She's glad to see me. It helps me prepare for class... to give my students the best energy I have to offer when this particular colleague is there to give my batteries a recharge.
This may sound corny... but I don't care... go take care of the people you love. Let them know you're paying attention. Make it obvious that you're happy that they are in your world. It brings people like me, on days like this, out of heartbreak for a glorious little while...
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