I had to take my dog to the groomer the other day. This is the same groomer I’ve had since my late dog, Belleza, was a puppy (so we’re talking like 17 years people). A good groomer, like a good hair stylist, is hard to find, so yes, I’m proud to say I have developed quite the relationship with my groomer…listen, even when I lived up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, I still came home with my girl and got her groomed by Danny. (I did “cheat” on Danny once, with someone that came highly recommended, and my girl and I were both traumatized by that experience for at least a year,) but that’s a whole “nuther” email.
Anyways, while dropping off Luna, our Yorkie, (I call her my pregnancy decision, because she was adopted when I was pregnant with my daughter, so it must’ve been pregnancy lunacy that made me go from sporting dog to toy dog!!) I asked Danny where his partner was (he and his partner had always worked together, so coming to the salon with only one person was unusual) and I found out that they had split ways. I shared in his heart ache and I left feeling this huge hole in my own heart. No, I mean, outside of pretty regular trips to the groomers, I had no relationship with Danny, but the hurt that I saw — it hurt me too.
Naturally, on the drive home, I was telling my husband about it. I told him, “I wish i knew of someone for Danny.” (ever the matchmaker, I guess.) My husband (he’s a dude’s dude, so he’s forgiven) asked, “why?” I said, “I don’t know, I just am sad that he hurts and I can’t fix it.”
No, I can’t fix every person’s “boo boo” the way I fix my daughter’s with a cute puppy dog bandaid, but I definitely want to try. Here’s the thing, I think you are just like me in that way too. It’s hard to see folks in our life hurt or be sad, or need something and us not to do something…anything…to try to help. I think that’s one of the beautiful things about being human, we have this compassion and this ability to love, and most of us–we act on that sentiment. That’s why we have these overwhelmingly moving stories about people that overcome odds to help others. I think you are like me and those people and you want to help–and that’s why Thrive Yoga and Wellness is so incredibly beautiful. It’s full of amazingly generous, loving souls like you that come with one goal–to feed the body mind and soul–but along the way, you and I get to feed each other’s soul and the souls of so many other individuals in our community.
(Speaking of, have you seen the Thank You note from our Christmas family? It’s on the bulletin board outside of the Lavender Room.)
Your willingness to support me, the Community, and all of our amazing out-reaches–it is so moving and motivating. It keeps me in the right frame of mind… The place where I can choose love when things around me may be pressuring me to choose rock throwing (oh yes, even Yoga Studio owners sometimes struggle with choosing love…)
It’s your amazing energy and spirit and contribution to a better self and a better community that keeps me and everyone here at Thrive all coming back to the mat time after time, and for that, I am honored and privileged to be –even just a small part– a witness and member.
Here it is, Valentine’s Day 2019, the annual day that is spent celebrating Love here for us in the U.S., and I wanted to send you a quick Thank You note and to be sure to tell you that you are loved. As you celebrate your friends and loved ones, take a quick moment to be thankful–thankful for the abundance that is around you in some fashion. Dude, I get it, sometimes looking for the abundance can be hard–but search, you’ll find it–the abundance of laughter, love, smiles…maybe even abundance of laundry (or that’s maybe just me…) because it means my house is full of life. This Valentine’s Day I encourage you to celebrate the fact that you choose Love. Everytime you step on your mat, everytime you join us in the studio, everytime you smile at the stranger next to you–that’s love. Love for yourself, love for your community, and love for that stranger.
Take that love and send it out. Make that choice today to act on and receive the love–and just see the difference it can make –not just in your own life, but in the lives of those around you. I hope you and yours have an exceptional Valentine’s Day, and I hope that you continue to choose love because deep down, I want you to know that you are loved.
Jennifer Dixon MBA ERYT 500 Authorized Ashtanga Yoga Teacher