"Forget all you know and learn something new everyday" Charles James
I've just taken a whole six days off, not one day a week over a six week period but a whole six days in a row. I literally cannot remember when I last did this but I suspect I may be doing it again. It seems I've been re introduced to the value of stepping out of my routine, if only for a few days.
It happened quite by chance, in truth a rather special, impromptu invite from, as it turns out, an extraordinary woman. An act of faith and generosity on her part and an uncharacteristic acceptance on mine. As I have previously documented I'm socially insecure, awkward and clumsy. I feel my differences in technicolor when I'm around people who are to all the world more relaxed and confident in themselves, people who are not vegan, passionate about animals, divorced, childless and complicated. Rare is the person who says 'So what?!' and 'Have you tried this Almond milk? or ' So,I'll just bring a picnic' ' I'm fortunate to have some amazing people around me who do that already, one more person to call a friend is always a gift.
And so it was over six days I was fortunate enough to spend time with an amazing family. I was given space to catch my breath and breathe. I met new people, made new friends and laughed a lot. I met up with an old friend that I hadn't actually spoken to in years, emails are not the same, we chatted as if we had only had coffee yesterday. Even if it had been allowed to get in the way, time, it seemed, couldn't remove a bond formed so many years previously. My friend and I are the most unlikely friends and yet somehow we just are. I took an early morning walk in central park, my favorite place to be on a Sunday morning. I went to the ballet. Twice, just because I could. I went to The Met and studied the architecture of Charles James Couture instead of of historical artifacts, just because I could. I got caught in a Thunder storm on 5th Avenue and continued to walk in the rain. I knew I would dry out eventually with no real harm done. I considered at times if it would have been nicer to share these memories with someone, knowing of course the right company cannot be beaten but the wrong company often risks leaving these memories fraught and cold.
As so as I find myself home and once again riding the Merry go round of early starts and late finishes and working too much, I'm concerned. I'm worried I will forget the girl who laughed, sat in the sun and made new friends. But then I'm reminded that some friendships are just meant to be. And some friends enter your life to kick your behind when your confidence is holding you back from yourself, those same friends know you would do the same thing right back if that's what was needed. The extraordinary friends you'd drive through the night or jump on a plane for, just because they asked you to, or even if they didn't. To the wonderful new Pilates teachers I met and hope to meet again, it was a privilege to work with such passionate, energetic, generous and warm people. The work is alive and thriving due to these individuals today. And so it was I left NYC with a heavy but inspired heart, content to know I would be returning in the not to distant future, if only for the Almond milk and vegan sushi, oh and because only laughter appears to work my obliques quite that effectively.
Some friendships however unlikely. Just are.
Love & Pilates,
Suzy x
