Rarely do I have the opportunity to learn a lesson without going through some major drama. So when it unfolded itself on the stage of life, in plain sight and without my input, I considered myself fortunate to catch it. The class took place at South Florida Hospital in Pembroke Pines, Fl., a hospital for people with mental illness. The room was small, tightly fitting around eight people. The mats were nowhere near symmetrically aligned with one another. In fact, they formed neither row nor column and each one pointed in a different direction. The students were standing on various parts of the mat, facing every which way and not necessarily in the direction of the mat; some body parts were on the mat, some not. Some were still and staring at me, some paced, some mentally present, some not. After having to painfully relinquish my control issues at the door, I merely suggested that they all move closer to the front of the mat and faced me. Thankfully, they did and this made me very happy! In that class I learned how to appreciate the simplicity of the right limb moving somewhat according to my instruction; rotations or pelvic tilts were of no consequence in that room. There, there was no detail to form; the attempt of the student was enough. The womans face was bruised. Her lips were cut, her eyes were blue, red, and swollen from a fight initiated by some foe, real or imagined. She was usually full of manic energy, but not on that day. She must have been on medication that slowed her down; she was just staring into space. The mans skin was red around the face, wrists, and elbows. He was stocky and wore jeans that were a little too small. In the middle of Warrior 1 she stopped and looked at the man. Maybe she imagined someone else. Maybe not. I love you, she said. I like you very much. You are very nice. He answered without making a face, without showing discomfort, without a moments hesitation. And then, Thank you. He finished. It seems that love and kindness can still survive even in places which embody some of our darkest fears and that teachers come in all shapes and sizes.
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 22:56:21 +0000
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