I went on the most amazing date this past Saturday. It was the kind of date that restores your faith in humanity. It was an evening so magical and filled to the brim with all the good things that make life worth living. It was such a great time, it was almost impossible to fall asleep at the end of the night.
It seems I’ve finally found “the one”. That person who lights you up inside, and fills your life with joy and purpose. I’ve finally met that special someone who gives you a reason to get out of bed in the morning. The person all the rom-coms, sappy Disney movies and prodigiously ridiculous romance novels say is waiting for you. My soul mate, my best friend, my truest companion in life. They….complete…..me (gag me, I know) And that person’s name?
Jelayna Da Silva.
That’s right. It turns out, not only am I a great date, I’m also long term relationship material.
It hasn’t always been easy. Jelayna can be a royal pain in the ass. She can be passive aggressive, pull amazing bouts of silent treatment, and say some pretty mean stuff going right for the jugular, especially if she knows your vulnerable spots. She can be your best friend one day, and your worst enemy the next. Even so, she has some redeeming qualities that are hard to deny.
In order to stop talking about myself in the third person, let me provide a little background. I take myself on dates all the time – to movies, galleries, dinner, or just long walks to sort out my personal relationship issues. You might find this odd, but I highly recommend it. Especially if you’re not liking yourself, treat yo’ self with a date and you might find you’re on better terms with, well, you. This Saturday I decided to take myself on a date to the Symphony. It ended up being an unexpected break through moment.
And I have yoga to thank for it.
Over the past decade, Yoga became like couples therapy for my brain and my heart. The two of them were always at odds with one another. They quibbled all the time, having differing opinions on how to do pretty much everything in my life. My heart is impulsive and driven by emotion. My brain is calculative and over analytical. They would fight like cats and dogs if I let them.
Enter yoga practice.
It forced me to slow down. Downward dog was like stepping into a therapist’s office. My body become this calm neutral place where my heart and my mind could finally meet. My heart would slow down its frantic beat, my brain would quiet down long enough and listen to what my heart had to say. Breath became the soothing therapist who helped these two see eye to eye by slowly joining them through long, low, binding breaths.
Because of these therapy sessions on the mat, over time, I was able to stand my own company. During the symphony, I realized I’ve come to prefer, and dare I say, even enjoy my own company. This is no small feat for the girl whose brain used to send daily hate mail to her heart.
The lights dimmed and the music started. My heart fluttered and then slowed. My mind was captivated by the sound and syncopation of the masterpiece surging out of hundreds of instruments moving together. My eyes closed, the music flooded every cell of my body. My heart and mind spotted each other from across the room. They moved towards one another. My mind offered its hand to my heart,
“Shall we dance?”
The two of them intertwined, flying across the dance floor of the soul. Tears fell freely from the corners of my closed eyes as these two strong, stubborn parts of me laid down their differences and danced into unity.
I opened my eyes, my body glowing from the inside out. This would be a moment I would remember for the rest of my life.
Savoring the night, I walked slowly home down quiet city streets, admiring the stars that managed to sneak past the veil of city lights. Red wine and symphonic melodies pulsing through my body, carried me past well lit apartment buildings and glowing restaurant windows.
A goofy grin rested on the corners of my mouth. It was the best date ever. I would need to thank yoga tomorrow morning, laying out my mat and continuing the dance my mind and heart willingly began the night before.
Yoga saved my dating life. Forget match.com, try mat.com.
