My Favorites: Hot Spots in Würzburg

Summer in the city! Yep. It's here and the town is all a flutter. People are smiling, birds are singing, and everyone has shed their winter gear. We weren't too sure if it would come, but it did, and over the next couple months I'm going to profile hot spots in and around Würzburg in celebration of S-U-M-M-E-R. Stay tuned for deatils. Until then, here're a few snapshots of a snow-free, blue-skied little town in southern Germany:

In May, I randomly signed up for a yoga workshop here in town because I found out it was going to be in English. Granted, this may not have been the smartest thing to do in light of the fact that I had neverever attended a power yoga class and my hands only reached my knees when bending over, but I was desperate! An American, here in Würzburg, holding a class in English??! Sign me up! So I had my husband transfer the dough a.s.a.p. and began glowing. Granted, I had no idea why, but just the thought of understanding everysinglesolitary little thing for three solid hours set me on fire! It was good that I was all fired up about the English because I hardly registered K.'s advice on Facebook to BRING WATER (in capital letters just like that). If I had registered her advice and not been blinded by the words "only English will be spoken", then I may have realized what I was getting myself into...

What had I gotten myself into you ask? I had gotten myself into a three hour workshop with none other than Bryan Kest, the founding father of Power Yoga. If I had known this ahead of time, I would have been scared out of my pants and most likely cancelled the class, but I didn't and, to this day, am so very thankful that things turned out the way they did...

I had always avoided giving serious thought to yoga. The thought of meditation and oming with strangers was a little too much for me to bear. But, after three sweet hours with Bryan Kest, I was sold. He had me the moment he said, "Yoga does not want to change you. It likes you just the way you are." Hmmm. Imagine that? I didn't have to want to om my heart out or touch my toes and tie myself up in a knot. I didn't have to give up meat (I'm Texan and I couldn't do that if I tried really hard with my eyes shut). I didn't have to go to India and learn Sanskrit. I could just be.

This little bit of wisdom still makes me glow; it has gotten me on my mat almost every day now and carries me through asanas without judgement or criticism. It lets me relish in the moment and stretch and strengthen and breathe. In peace.

Last week was packed full of negativity and by the end of it I was exhausted. People out-of-the-blue critisized and growled, glarred and huffed. Not a whole lot of sweetness to write home about. Maybe it was the weather? Maybe the not-so-exciting run of the World Cup matches? Needless to say, I found myself huffing and puffing in my own little corner of the world because of it. I am a true believer that you create your own happiness, but last week my mantra called in sick and left me to fend off the world on my own. This morning, I thankfully retreated behind my extra dark sunglasses and humbly ventured out, not knowing what to expect from the world around me.

The first smile from a stranger registered, but was returned half-heartedly (sad to say, but last week had left its mark). The second was received and responded to much the same. By the early afternoon, I still hadn't been convinced that this would be a better week. Sometimes it really is much easier to hold on to the negativity instead of moving on and embracing the positive. Well, by the early afternoon, the universe was fed up and sent me a stranger with the warmest smile, so warm that I couldn't help but smile back full throttle teeth and all. Shortly thereafter, I met a man in an elevator. Before he got out, he looked me in the eyes, smiled, and said, "Have a nice journey". Out-of-the-blue and just like that. I didn't know what journey the man was referring to, but I realized I didn't care. I was being challenged to keep on huffing and sulking and wallowing; I was being challenged not to succumb to the sweetness surrounding me and simply enjoy the journey I am on.

Wishing you, too, a "gute Reise" filled with unexpected surprises, contented days, and peace.

New in town

Hey. Come on in. Sit down for a spell. This is my first day here and I'd love some company. I never was one for diary-keeping, but I loved writing in high school and college. I wrote whenever I had the chance; I did it for years and then suddenly stopped. Life got busy and I had other things on my mind. Lately, though, I've been spending time getting in shape and eating right; in the midst of it all, I realized that my brain was getting a bit mushy. I realized that I had been neglecting the ultimate thing I was striving for: peace of body AND mind. My body was stretched, strong, and at peace, but my mind wasn't. It was tired and restless; it was pacing around and keeping me awake at night. So I came here.

"eins plus mit stern" is German; I borrowed this great prase from my five year old son. It means "A+ with a star". I love this phrase and am finding out that the everyday is overflowing with sweet treasures; sweet treasures that, if noticed, truly deserve the rating "eins plus mit stern". This blog will celebrate life's sweetness; its posts will be my pennies for a rainy day when all is gray and gloomy; it will remind me, maybe even you too, that life, in its simplicity, is, without a doubt, divine...