My first day of school.

In January 2001, I was a single mom living in a cute little condo with my girl. Oh, I wish I'd been blogging back then - you guys would have loved our little home! Anyway, I was 39 at the time, and Carrie was 12.

I had made the decision to take online classes to get a college degree, and I clearly remember the day my first class began. Carrie and I were getting ready for school and work, and before we left the house that morning Carrie insisted on taking a picture of me, on my first day of school. I remember how I felt that morning - so proud and scared all rolled into one. And I remember that in the back of my mind I was thinking, "WHY am I doing this?!?!"

But I knew why I was doing it - I was doing it for "the man." I was doing it for the assumption that if I had a four-year degree to note on my resume I would be more marketable in the corporate world. I was doing it because I hadn't gone to college after high school and I felt like I needed to catch up. I was doing it for the status quo. At any rate, that day in January was a really important day for me.

If you've read my blog for a while you know that I totally dig yoga. But did you know that in the almost 20 years that I've been practicing I have wanted to be a yoga teacher? I have always thought it would be so cool to help people feel the way that I feel after a good yoga class. I want other people to know the personal rewards that come with a regular yoga practice. I want to help others heal the way that yoga has healed me.

And now it’s happening.

Tonight I will attend the first of many classes as I begin my studies to become a certified yoga teacher. There will be many hours spent working toward this certification between now and the end of this year, but I am so ready for this journey to begin. And this time, I know why I'm doing it.

Now, that doesn’t mean that I’m giving up my corporate job anytime soon, but it does mean that I’m one step closer to following a longtime dream of mine. I’ve wondered how my yoga studies will affect my blogging but I guess we’ll just take this one week at a time and see how things work out.

I hope you'll lift me up in celebratory thoughts over this new beginning in my life. If you are so inclined, maybe you'll say a little prayer for me or send me some happy thoughts as I point myself in this new direction - a direction that has been calling to me for a very long time.

And you can bet that Doug will take a picture of me tonight, as I leave for my first day of school.

:o) ♥