Touch Down

I went to my hometown, Statesville, this weekend-- just as I've been doing every weekend for months as my grandfather battled cancer (and lost) and my grandmother simultaneously had a stroke.  But this weekend was different because my grandmother got to come home from the nursing home for a few hours.  And for just those few hours, as she sat in her old blue recliner and bossed us all around, it felt like everything was right with the world again.  Since her stroke nine weeks ago, she has been in rehabilitation and wasn't able to be there as her husband slowly died.  I can't imagine.  I don't want to imagine.  But what strength she has in that failing body of hers.  How does she manage to comfort the rest of  us while going through so much on her own?  I think reaching out to help others is what has provided her with strength her whole life. 

 Perhaps in my need to feel inwardly strong, I've been working on strength in my yoga practice these last few weeks.  Alvie's death made the whole world turn upside town, so I've decided to turn upside down also.  I've been focusing on inversions, and it's helping to build my confidence to face the challenges of the world again. 

While in Statesville, I went to my old high school to "run the stadium" just like we used to do in soccer practice, running up and down all the stairs.  Yikes.

Here are some pictures from the football field:

Urdhva Danurasana

Sirsasana

Touchdown dance

Pinca Maricyasana