Contrast

We finished our last day on Martha's Vineyard with a couple of delicious, organic, vegan smoothies from Blissed Out in Vineyard Haven & then hopped on the ferry to head home.

I had read about Blissed Out before we left home & was super excited to find a smoothie place like it.  I make raw vegan smoothies at home almost everyday, but I love trying ones made by other people.

One of the things I read in the online reviews was that they were pricey - $8-9 for 16 ounces.  They were worth it!

While we were on the Vineyard, the refrigerator there broke down for a couple days so we didn't have all the usual snacks to pack for the car ride home (we're big on snacks).  And we'd eaten our way through almost all the food we'd brought anyway.

A little more than half way home, we found ourselves at a rest stop on the Mass Pike.  And we opted for fast food for lunch.

Almost immediately after I'd ordered & was standing in line (with the rest of the people in the picture above) waiting for our food, I had buyer's remorse.  Was it really a good idea?

No.

But I waited for the food anyway...I don't even eat meat - French fries & frozen drinks are my vice.  The food was, well, barely food.  I let the dog have most of the fries - not all, but most:)

Our fast good lunch cost us only a little less than our "pricey" breakfast smoothies.  No buyers remorse there.  The smoothies were made to order.  Fresh, organic ingredients. And really filling!

It was a good experience in contrast.  I needed that fast food to remind that I don't really like it.  Not anymore.  I find I need reminders like that sometimes - we all do.  Eating, experiencing something that doesn't feel good helps you remember & fine tune what it is that does feel good.  And that helps you create the life that you really want.

The other morning while I was practicing yoga at home, our big dog pooped in the house & our toilet overflowed. (I specify our big dog, because it's usually just the little dog who poops in the house.  Little dog = little poop, big dog = big poop).

It occurred to me later when I was teaching...there's always poop.  Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot.  Sometimes it's your poop, sometimes it someone else's.  But there's always poop.

Looking back (especially before I found yoga) there were times when I was up to my eye balls in poop - flinging it around, just hoping it would stick to someone else.  I've been covered in poop & have made poop mountains out of molehills. 

The other morning, I found myself laughing about our poop situation.  It wasn't a big deal.  We cleaned it up, we moved on.

There's always poop.  And I realized it's how you handle it (carefully) that makes the difference.  You can fall into into, you can dive into it, you can get stuck in it, you can cover yourself in it, you can fling it - all that's really messy.  Or, you can walk away from it, you can step over or around it.  You can even pick it up, flush it & wash you hands of it.  No fuss, a lot less mess.

Like I said, since yoga, I have a lot less poop in my life - thank goodness.  And when I do encounter it, I try keep my sense of humor & stay as clean as possible. 

"Without my Yellow Hat....

....I'm not - me!"



We've watched alot of Curious George over the past 4.5 years.  And even if you don't watch him, you've probably seen or heard of the man.  The man with, well, the yellow hat.  That's who he is.  And he says it - "without my yellow hat, I'm not - me!"

You can feel like that about anything.  Without my job, I'm not me.  Without my car, I'm not me.  Without my house, I'm not me.  Without my favorite yoga mat, I'm not me.

Thing is, these are all things.  And they aren't us.  They don't define us.  We don't have to let them define us. 

We live in a society that does place alot if emphasis in material goods.  If you watch TV, you're bombarded with it.  Buy this car, buy these clothes - you'll feel better & happier - you'll find you!

Things don't define us.  We let them, sometimes, define us.  Without our things, we can define ourselves.  We can be free to be who we really want to be.  Out from under the weight of searching for things outside of us to make us happy, we find contentment - santosha - in who we really are.

Without his yellow hat, the man would still be someone George loves.  The people who love you would still love you without your car, without your job.  Would you still love yourself?

Imagine....how would you feel without your car.  Without your house.  That's not to say, without a place to live or a way to get around.  Just without what you're attached to now. Without the things that you've let define you.  Without your "yellow hat".