an IT moment. a big one.

highschool is one of those places you couldn't pay me to go back to. even if lots of money were involved. i still have battle scars and refuse to discuss the intimate details. i finally knew what hell meant thanks to Terre Haute North Vigo en le state of Indiana. F'n Hoosiers.....anyhoo, i digress.
today, i went back to highschool!! i was asked to teach yoga to several groups of freshman today at Lee Highschool off of Hillcroft and Richmond. it is a title one school. you know the type: little to no funding, low test scores, 60% or more drop out before they graduate, most are from broken homes, drug and alcohol addicted families and have little to no support from family or friends. and of course they are mostly "minorities." things are rough.
i totally didn't know what to expect. (i've found having no expectations to often be best.) most had never heard of yoga before let alone tadasana or namaste. but they loved it! the response was overwhelming. seeing these wild 14 year olds walk into the room and leave in a calmer, more neutral space, was so rewarding. feeling a glimpse of peace, the peace that is always inside, for the first time, was startling to some of them. like they'd never felt it before. never known how to extract it. and there it was. all along.
we did five postures. by far, the bare minimum. and yet it worked. something worked. (their short attention spans couldn't handle much more anyway.) by sivasana, they were puddy in my hands. it was like buddaah.
i was asked later by one of the school teachers if i'd had "mark" in one of my groups. (a latino boy who has been in more trouble than most would be in an entire life. who has a troubled home life and the whole works.) oh yeah, i did. he didn't appear to be "trouble maker" to me at all. he sat so silently. i saw some tears in his eyes when he sat up from sivasana. his eyes were closed. he was peaceful. i saw him as i left the building later today. i praised him highly and reminded him of his inner awareness. his silence. he got it.
another student, a large girl with wild, kinky hair pulled back tight, had an emotional breakthrough as well. i complimented her on her pronunciation of "tadasana." it was as if she'd never been complimented like that before. she beamed. in childpose, she looked up at me, her eyes red and teary, and smiled. i knew she was thankful.
then there was trey. a handsome, flashy, well-dressed type. black baseball cap cocked to the side. his downward dogs were difficult and strained. and his tadasana was lacking the strength and purpose of a mountain. i whispered " roll your shoulders back. open your heart. lift your head. be proud and stand tall." i had to tell him twice. then it stuck. after class, i chatted with him. looking him in the eyes i reminded him of his dignity, his strength and how to show that with his posture. he got it.
i think the most amazing realization for these kids is that this is a tool they can use. and get results. it is silent time for them. and only them. the strength of a mountain, the flexibility of a dog, the happiness of a baby; it's all inside of you. we just have to be reminded sometimes. we have to wake it up.
even if it was a seed that was planted that ends up not getting watered for many years or lifetimes to come, i feel honored to be involved in the process. i am feeling a renewed sense of purpose in my life. i've found my niche (ok one of them atleast. but it's a big one.) and it's all starting to make sense now.