It's Better Together: a story of friendship
Yoga and Friendship
At a recent photo shoot for the upcoming quarter at Yogalife Studios, our photographer/writer/instructor, Caitlin Varrin, brought along her friend Tasha to the south studio to hang out and enjoy the afternoon - snap some photos, have some laughs. This was the place they met - Yogalife Studios South - both no strangers to hanging out together in that tea lounge. We got to talking about how their friendship grew from Yogalife and thought it would be a nice story to share! Please enjoy this write-up from our student Tasha Molly, Yogalifer and friend.
Yoga has changed my life in more ways than one. It's helped keep me sane; it's been an outlet for emotions I didn't even know I had; it's taught me to slow down and enjoy the little things in life - because if you blink, they'll pass you by without you even noticing.
Yes, yoga has taught me to wake up and smell the roses, but one of the most important things it has brought me is the most beautiful people: one of my nearest and dearest friends in the form of a pint-sized but also larger than life, dancing jumping bean with brown hair, glasses and huge beautiful eyes that see through all the junk. Caitlin. I wouldn't trade that friendship for anything - it's priceless.
Rewind 5 years ago. I had been going to Yogalife South for about 6 months. I walk into my regular 8:30 hot flow class, lay down on my mat and close my eyes. A few minutes later I hear this girl's voice - "wait a minute, that's not Graham!" (I always get a little wigged out when there's a sub for one of my favourite teachers because sometimes it's not quite the same.)
But to my surprise, this girl had THE most amazing taste in music and was always cracking jokes, laughing at herself if she stumbled over her sequence. It was just so so easy to be around her and to feel instantly comfortable. Our closing song in savasana was one of my all time favourites by Bon Iver, 'Skinny Love'. As it started to play, I laid there with a huge grin on my face; as soon as I got up, I knew I had to speak to this person. So without even going into the change room, I sprinted out to the tea lounge and there she was, looking like a drowned rat just like me, smiling.
One huge, sweaty hug later and we both knew that the person standing before us was one that we wanted to keep for life. We would hang out before class, after class and basically whenever we had a spare second. No matter how much we saw each other - or didn't see each other - it was always the same. We never skipped a beat.
The bond that her and I have is palpable - you can touch it, you can see it, you can feel it. We are always there for each other for a good laugh, cry and otherwise. When things aren't going right and neither of us can find the strength and energy to be positive, we are there to pick each other up, to listen, to learn, to grow. We allow the other room to be sad and angry, and then dust the other off to keep on going. There has never been a time where Caitlin hasn't been there to keep me honest and accountable; love me through all of my ups and downs - really high highs and really low lows.
I feel so grateful every single day that I have been blessed with such an amazing, grounding, hilarious, inspirational and real friend - a partner in crime. I really don't know what I would do without her!
Love you too, Tasha! xo