Today I am 40 years old.

Wow, how did that happen?!

I am the same age as the Rubik’s Cube, Post-Its & Pac-Man.

This morning I did 40 sun salutations & learned new things on the mat (as always!) & marvelled at how I used to think there’d be a time I'd “perfect” yoga. After 15+ years of solid practice, I’ve realised: it’s all practice, all the way down, forever. & that's a beautiful thing!

Off the mat, it’s the same. Whenever I thought about “finding my path” in life, my mind imagined that that after some soul-searching I’d find the path and then WHOOSH I’d be suddenly sitting pretty in the comfortable destination at the end of that path forever.

But I’ve learned that 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕒𝕥𝕙 𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕥.

Even when you find the right path for you - when the ground feels solid under your feet, and you’re humming a little song as you hike - you’re still 𝑜𝓃 𝒶 𝓅𝒶𝓉𝒽.

You’ve still got a big old rucksack of worries. There are still rocks in the way. On the days it’s not raining, often the sun beats down. Little stones in your shoes. A branch in the face. Bouncing downhill and trudging uphill. Sitting down in the ditch for a little rest.

The destination of all paths is death. We can choose some aspects of our paths: the terrain, the companions, the way we get sustenance. But we can’t choose everything: weather happens, predators, natural disasters. Blessings and curses can come to any path at any time.

So maybe if you get a bit anxious now and then, castigating yourself - “This should be easier!” or “I should have figured it out by now!” - realise with me: it’s OK. We’re all forging these paths every day and learning how to walk them all the way to the end!

It’s all practice, all the way down, forever. And that is a beautiful thing!

As long as we’re breathing, we can choose where we step one foot in front of the other. Look, there’s an oasis ahead! Hold my hand, maybe we can make it before sundown...