IT'S A WRAP . . .

Monday morning; the beginning of my last 5 days in SLC. I would be lying if I said I was terribly saddened, but it is bittersweet. And, last night, I had to meet many of my students and friends, face-to-face, to say 'See Ya Later'. (Have I told you that I intensely dislike and avoid the word(s) 'good-bye'?)

Current faces were in the room, plus a few I hadn't seen for a while. The Gentle Yoga students were there 'en masse' (that one's for Jean - my retired French teacher & student). We've had a great run together, all of us. I hope they are taking away from me even a fraction of what I have learned from them. Wonderful, giving group!

Received wonderful compliments, some cards, flowers, and even a few gifts. Two were remarkable because of the classroom history and stories behind them, so I'll share here:

One, a chrome 'Mudflap Girl' - a pose (derivation: truckdrivers, but the first place I heard it was in an Arizona yoga class). This pose is a fav of the Gentle students - allows them to be the free spirits they were always meant to be, laugh and have fun with their yoga. I will have it in a prominent place in my California home -- though it might look nice as a necklace (2"x4" -- is that too big? On a chain that lands just above the bra. What'cha think?)

Then, from my French teacher student, two quotes heard coming out of her mouth - calligraphed (this spelling doesn't look right, but I checked it), one on each side of a small glass frame. The first I heard several years ago, when she was relatively new to me. Had everyone in some standing pose, counting breaths, and out of the group comes "Gentle, my ass" -- not too loud, but loud enough to be heard by all. The second, heard more frequently these days, "I'm okay". That's a longer story, just as meaningful - perhaps more to me than you, so I'll save it. (See picture at top.)

The little glass frame and the 'mudflap girl' will be treasures that remind me of some great times.

Today? Back to packing, but first a trip to the dentist and a visit with Noah Maze.

Hope you have a wonderful Monday,