I decided that my yoga mat would be my carry-on for my Ireland trip. It was not a last minute decision, but one that took days of contemplation and questioning. My yoga mat is heavy. It's a sturdy thick mat that I love, but it's weight is fierce. I made the mistake a few years back of pairing down my yoga supplies and part of that was tossing out a thin travel mat. I'm real good at throwing things away. Lugging my heavy mat through airports was not an easy decision. Michael and Talaura both, when asked, agreed that yes, I needed to take my mat. And so I did. I lugged my heavy mat from security check point to security check point. I ran through the Heathrow Airport with it banging against my back. I carted it from hotel room to hotel room. My mat traveled Ireland. I used my mat that first morning in Ireland. Well, I say morning. Mom and I both woke up around the same time. I asked her the time and she looked at her watch and said "5:30". I usually get up around this time every morning any way, so I got up and got on my mat. It was near the middle of my practice when I began to wonder why the sun wasn't coming up and looked at my phone. It was not morning, but just after midnight. Mom had looked at the wrong watch. No matter, I had a good practice and then went back to bed. After that, I only managed to make it my mat a couple of times, but each time I did was worth the weight of that mat.

I have not been very good at getting up in the mornings to do my practice this week. My body feels sluggish partly do to hormones and partly because I can tell the time change is coming. There's probably a little dosha imbalance going on with all of that. I am patient with myself when I feel this way. I make bargains. It's OK to skip this morning if I....But Wednesdays are class days. I will and did carry my heavy mat to work for yoga class last night and it was once again worth the weight. It reminded me of the things we carry with us. Some of those memories are so heavy. We carry them with us even though they weigh our shoulders down and at time make even our hearts feel heavy. But then we tell that memory to someone and feel that weight lift while we tell the story. When we're finished telling the tale, we feel the weight of that memory settle back into place. It is a comfort, like the weight of a well placed sand bag in savasana.

My yoga mat has seen me through the worst hard times. It has been to Ireland and back. I have grown to love the weight and heaviness of it. I know it's time to replace it. I have worn Sun Salutation grooves into it. I know it's time for a new one, but not just yet. Let me enjoy the weight of this one for just a bit longer.

Happy Love Thursday.