29 Gifts - Day 1
So today's the day I started the 29 Gifts Challenge, and I wasn't really in the giving mood to be honest. One of my teeth has been giving me grief and I'd scheduled a dentist appointment for early afternoon. They fixed me up with little pain, but also mentioned that I should get comprehensive x-rays done because they saw several cavities when they were excavating my molar. This was not happy news to me because I haven't had a cavity since I was 12 and thought I had healthy teeth. (Apparently when I was pregnant my teeth took a beating.) I was completely bummed. Especially when I saw the price tag and remembered that I have no dental insurance. Super. :( So I moped around this afternoon and complained to anyone who would listen (Colin and the walls, mainly).
But I knew I had to give something, so on my way to yoga I stopped at a store and bought some Dove dark chocolate to give to all my students tonight. I teach two classes back to back on Monday nights and the first class was rotten. I was just really off my game and mixed up my fingers and my toes. My students didn't seem to notice, but I felt like it was a bad class. So when I gave out the chocolate bits to everyone after class I felt like I was making amends a little bit too.
The 2nd class went better. I am not sure why, but I felt more confident and the class flowed smoother. We worked up to practicing bakasana. Which is this baby:
(image from yogajournal.com)
I started the class saying that we were going to try it and if we didn't get there - or even close - that was really really ok. Tonight's practice was about having fun and just seeing how something new in the bod might feel. I think everyone was a little nervous, but we started really slowly, perched up on blocks. We lifted onto tiptoes, and some stayed right there. About two students rocked it out, but most everyone else fell or just lifted one toe and laughed. By the end of class everyone was smiling and seemed to be enjoying themselves. I was pleased. After that class I gave them chocolate too and it was a nice little congrats for trying.
So I'm not sure if my gift was the chocolate or helping my students try bakasana. But I got some smiles and some laughter out of it and it brightened my day too.
For those doing this with me, do you have a story from day 1?