Bikram Yoga El Paseo

Bikram Yoga is not for people who baby themselves, as it is a challenging practice that rewards the participant with many healthy benefits. I know that my Aunt Caroline would have appreciated this type of physical and mental discipline, so this months blog is in her honor.

Caroline Palma DeVale was my father’s oldest sibling and the last one to pass away. She died at the ripe old age of 101 this past June 27, 2018.

Right on my Birthday.

Not the best birthday present but I wonder if there is some significance there. While I love all my aunts and uncles, “Aunt Caroline” stood out as a mentor in my childhood and early adult years. She was a force not to be reckoned with in our family. Often spoken about as being too critical one always knew where they stood with her. There were no pretenses, no hidden agenda, only clarity. What you see is what you get.

I’m not sure if her significance in my life was because she was not afraid to speak her mind or if it was because she still looked amazing at 75 years old when her Christmas Card arrived with a picture of herself in a bathing suit modeling on a runway.

No Joke…….. she was modeling a bathing suit in a fashion show at SEVENTY -FIVE years old and looked amazing. I can only hope at 75 years old I look even half that good.

She was the eldest of four children and my father was the youngest. My Aunt got married at 18 years old, my father at 31. When my Aunts children were having children, my parents were having children, so my cousins were more like Aunts and Uncles, and my Aunt was more like a Grandma , or “Nonna” as we say in Italian.

I can still see the tiny match box-like cars that flew down Lake Shore Drive (LSD) in Chicago from my Aunts high rise building window . I can still hear the the ocean waves crashing during the night when I stayed at her beach home in Florida.

She was a woman before her times. Widowed at a very early age, she raised and educated three children as a single parent, and became a teacher and a real estate agent to support her family. She understood responsibility and accountability,balance and moderation more than anyone.

I spent many Spring Breaks in St. Pete’s Beach with “Nonna” and always had the same breakfast. One half of a grapefruit and one biscotti. The biscotti were so good and I always wanted another but it was never allowed. “ONE is enough” she would say. Everything in moderation.

I once helped her roll 8 pans of Manicotti for her Yacht Club members while I was vacationing there to earn my keep. She had my Father paint her sign for her rental building during his stay. There was no loafing with “Nonna.” I value the lesson of Accountability to this day.

Another fond memory was walking into her bedroom one morning only to find her on the floor doing abdominal crunches with weights in her hands. She was into fitness long before the fitness craze.

At my Aunts memorial, her grandchild, Bonita (my 2nd cousin, once removed as they say) got up to speak about her fond memories of “Nonna”. Like “Nonna” Bonita is a Teacher as well. She spoke of all the many things she learned from Nonna and how easy it was to talk to her about almost anything.

After switching from teaching the 6th grade class to the 3rd grade class, Bonita noticed a significant difference in the maturity level. The 3rd graders had to constantly tattle on one another and run and tell the teacher. Not wanting to be bogged down with the trivial, but wanting the children to be able to vent, Bonita wondered what Nonna would have done.

She then came up with an idea. She posted a portrait of “Nonna” in the Classroom and when the children ran to her with their stories she would say, “Go Tell Nonna”.

It was huge success and Bonita noticed lines forming everyday with the students whispering their thoughts to Nonna. This became a huge comfort for Bonita as her Grandmother’s spirit was still kept alive in her classroom.

I can’t help but wonder if this would work in my Yoga Studio. I’m not dealing with third graders 😉 , but lets face it, people like to gripe at any age: “IT’s too hot,” “It’s too cold,” “The humidity is too high,” “there’s not enough humidity,” I don’t like that teacher…… blah, blah, blah…………

Go Tell Nonna (just don’t expect to eat more than one biscotti a day.)

See you in the hot room!

Ciao`