Honeymoon is over

2:00 am:  ‘Should we get back in our beds?’  Adrienne says sadly.  ‘I guess so :(’. 

Just when we heard clapping and roaring and what seemed like the lights coming up, we quickly popped back up to our seats.  Adrienne and I were uncomfortably curled into little balls on the floor, between isles of chairs, hidden nice and small so no one would see us and try and wake us up – in our ‘beds’.  It’s freezing and loud purposely to try and keep everyone awake.  You should see me, all of us, dressed like we’re back on the East Coast in the middle of winter.  Even with ear plugs, it’s so so loud.  Little did we know that at 2 am it was only intermission of Bikram’s Bollywood Hindu movie.  It was time for disc two.  Another 4 am night and 7 am wake up call for class.

This was my mind in class this morning on 3 hours sleep:  yoga is a gas station, no it’s not you idiot, I can’t do this I want to die, yes you can you won’t die, I need sleep, no I don’t yoga is energy, I want to leave the hot room, no you don’t stay strong you’re almost there, I like to sleep I don’t want to be sleep proof, trust it - it’s part of the process, I want to go home, no you don’t you are lucky to be here, the only way out is through. 

In case you missed our typical day’s schedule, we start at 8 am sharp with two yoga classes a day, posture clinics, lectures, until 12 midnight the earliest but lately way later like 4 am.  We get two quick breaks to eat and shower.  Saturday is one morning class, and Sundays are the day of rest.

The late nights and early mornings are becoming more frequent.  Classes are getting harder.  Last night’s class we had to do an extra set of balancing stick pose because Bikram wasn’t happy with the first two sets.  My body is really starting to feel it.  I could barley lift my arms up during pranayama breathing today, the very first part of class.  It killed!

Michael Lepore my cousin, I got your letter this morning and it was so fitting for today.  Spoken like a world class leader, yet only 12 years old, here is a piece of what he wrote:

‘You should do whatever it takes to achieve your goal, everyone was put on this earth for a purpose, and if this is yours, then you should do everything that you can to get it.  So, no matter how hard this is, as long as you know that this is what you want do above everything else, go for it.’

Thank you so much Michael, just when I needed it most you thoughtfully reminded me why I’m here.  I feel so grateful that I’ve been able to watch you grow up since day one and I’m so proud of the young man you are becoming.  I know you will achieve great things in your life and I’m so excited to share that with you.  I’ll be cheering you on 100% of the way just like you are for me :) Love, Kara