Sometimes in life sweet little moments come along that surprise us with their unexpected delightfulness. Moments that make you wonder about the synchronicity of things and leave you with a warmth in your belly that carries you through the day in a sort of satisfied state of awe.
I had one such moment this week which I feel inspired to share with you. I was in the yoga studio at the gym as is usual at some point during the day. No one else was in the studio and I was half way through my practice, standing on my head and feeling pretty at peace with the world. A young Indian man came into the studio looking for a skipping rope. He left and I continued with my upside-down meditation.
A few minutes later the young man returned and approached me. He asked me about my yoga and what other exercise I did. We ended up talking for an hour. We talked of life and diet and living well and work and all that makes us grow as human beings. Here I sat on my mat and openly engaged with a young man I had not met until that very morning. He, it turned out, is due to get married in a couple of months and being a little overweight had decided he needed to take some fairly drastic steps regarding self improvement. Being of Indian decent he was acutely aware that their diet of curries and lots of sweet cakes was not ideal, but that is not really the point here. The point is that we were both willing to give and receive there on that studio floor. He it turned out works with a lot of Bollywood stars and I being a portrait photographer would well get some really amazing introductions. He wants to work on himself and I, apart from my photography, am actively drawn to helping others do exactly that.
We exchanged numbers and I encouraged him to come to class. A little while later this sweet young man rang me. He rang to thank me for being so open, engaging and friendly. For helping him on his way. He was telling me how much he had got out of the meeting but I had left feeling that I had got the better deal. Isn’t that sweet!
I never finished my yoga practice but what I gained from that meeting was far greater. I left the studio that morning feeling a tingling delight that stayed with me throughout the day. It was the simple joy of being open and giving and receiving. Of making a new friend from a completely different age and ethnic group. My practice had expanded beyond the physical in that time.
You never know what little surprises await you and what rewards they might bring. Be open to receiving and giving. Following this through into all areas of your life. The more you give the more you receive and it really is that simple.
nikivanvelden 