I jokingly shared with a friend while we were out walking that I was considering writing a book titled Lessons from the Yoga Mat. But then, I would imagine there are probably lots of book products already out there like that. Yet I digress.
While working to place my left toe behind my right ear and attempting to stretch my other extremities toward the far wall as directed, or at least, so it seemed, our yoga instructor calmly stated, “Remember: It’s not how high you go, it’s how far.”
Once again, a life lesson struck me as my body pleaded for relief. I never cease to be amazed at how moments of epiphany manage to locate me during times of self-imposed contortion. However, they do. While my classmates ponder the energy in the room, I find myself drifting off to the land of ethereal revelations.
So, I pondered the weighty proverb, then asked myself: How many times in life have I chided myself for not reaching the heights to which I felt I should have attained by now? When, perhaps, I may have missed the point of seeing just exactly how far I’ve really come. And, then, to accept that realization. Why, is it we have to climb higher and higher, when in reality, true success might just lie in the progress we’ve made in the journey? Nahhhh. We’re all about materialism. Right?
But seriously. Some people go really high in life. And we refer to it as “Look how far they’ve gone!” Yet in matters of life, have they really made progress? I personally know a few mega-successful people that have managed to achieve amazing heights, yet at severe personal cost. They’ve gone super high. But I am not so sure they’ve gone very far.
So, I took stock of what I felt I should have accomplished. Then I took a good look at the wonderful things I have had the privilege to do. And it made me smile. These “things” most likely wouldn’t appear very high in some people’s eyes, but they seem pretty far to me.
If you are feeling a bit low of late, or that you haven’t quite hit the mark, take a good look backwards. Notice where you started. Then see just how far it is that you have come. I’ll bet it’s a lot farther than you’ve thought, or even imagined.
So, for this week, when you’re tempted to focus on how high, stop for a brief moment and take notice rather, of how far. It might just put a smile on your face.
?
S.
