Tomorrow I hope to have my first yoga work out since being operated on 2½ weeks ago. Already I am trying to quiet my ego's demons who are lobbying for me to make up for lost time. Thoughts like, "You're going to Florida next month, and it looks like your waist has gotten a little bit more squishy," sort of find their way into my consciousness.

So I ask myself, "What do I tell my students?" Should it be so hard to practice the same theme on myself that I plan on using with them? Of course not. And this is why I need to be an instructor (at least for now) in order to develop as a yogi.

My students humble me, in a good way. Seeing their dedication week after week I feel it's my responsibility to be as genuine as possible when I teach. Does that mean I am superhuman? Absolutely not. On the contrary my ego makes me VERY human, which is why I need my students to keep me on the right path. That is why at the end of the class, the teacher gives her students the mantra Namasté, I bow to you. That is the beauty of the teacher-student relationship. Like ying and yang, like everything within yoga, it is interwined and codependent, all in a good way.

P.S I had decided this week's theme would be the same theme my third-grade daughter had in school this week, Friendship Week. Her homework included a list of things to do (called Nice Bingo) - things like "say something nice to someone" or "ask if there is anything you can do to help", etc. So on Sunday my students will have the same assignment during their practice; only thing is that I want them to direct their kindness to themselves.

1. A quick snuggle when the clock rang 5 A.M

 2.Twilight over the southern coast this morning in what was a fantastic winter wonderland.

3. After not having had any motivation to work the past week I rediscovered that the best cure is usually to just pull yourself together and do it. So I did, and I surprised myself by actually enjoying work today.

4. Meeting one of my oldest friends for lunch, especially since we rarely get to meet nowadays.

5. Eating supper alone with my husband, even if it was just sandwiches and coffee by candlelight in our kitchen.

6. Putting two happy, exhausted kids to bed tonight. My son fell asleep within minutes.

7. Almost forgot - it's Friday :-)

8. Speaking of forgetting - I forgot my calendar on a sofa in a galleria today. When I went back to find it 15 minutes later naturally it wasn't there. THANK YOU whoever was kind enough to leave it in the bank next to the sofa so that I could get it back safe and sound...