Something amusing :)

I forgot to mention this yesterday in my posting about the visit to the slums.
Our families were all given rice, beans and sugar yesterday.
About 25 - 50 lbs of each!
We "helped" the women carry the food back to their homes.
OK, for all who know me well, as an Alexander Technique teacher (and
pilates and yoga teacher) I kind of pride myself on knowing how to use
my body well. Well this was an amusing lesson for me :)
I picked up the bag of rice I was handed and holy crap, it was
heavy!!! really heavy! So, i tried to find ways to hold it in my arms,
standing well, using my back, my abs, relaxing my neck and jaw - the
whole deal. I was able to feel good like that for about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, the women I was with that day grabbed their bags which were
almost TWICE as heave as mine, wrapped them up in a sheet, and gently
placed it all on their heads with a grace and beauty I can only marvel
at.
Now, I knew I'd probably get to see some of thes super women in Africa
elegantly carrying thins on their heads but to see it all happen up
close and personal - and also to know how heavy those bag were - was
AMAZING!!! and humbling!!
I was laughing at myself inside the whole walk to their houses. and
they were giggling at me too :) I was teeting all over the place and
tilting back just to keep the bag from falling. Terrible use! Halfway
through, I had to readjust my bag, and 3/4 of the way through I just
gave up. I was going to drop all their food otherwise! One of the
women sent her teenage son to come and help me.
So, I am amazed and humbled and now need to learn to balance things on
my head with that same grace and ease :)
The truth is, they are able to do this because they HAVE to do this to
survive. Their poise and elegance is out of necessity where as, in the
US, we may seek it out because it feels better, looks better, and
helps us, but it is not out of survival like it is for them.
If the can't carry their food, their families don't eat.
Anyway, I had to share that story! I hope my Alexander Technique
friends and colleagues appreciate it :)