I was late. Luckily, my yoga teacher saw me through the window and let me in before locking the door.

"I'm so sorry!" I said.

"It's okay. We were just yakkin." She closed the door and invited me to come in and get settled.

I was prepared for a workout. Lately, yoga has been kicking my ass. But today, my teacher announced, we were going to have a low-key class, a mostly yin class, or restorative yoga. I could have hugged her.

But. Sometimes a restorative class is more difficult than a regular yoga class.

Why?

Because it invites total relaxation. Which isn't easy for me. Inevitably, in any restorative class, I tear up simply from letting go of all the tension I carry around with me. Today was no different. As I lay there, overwhelmed by the feeling of relief, tears rolled off my face and onto the floor. Luckily, no one in this class is the least bit perturbed by tears.

After drying my eyes and moving through several more postures, my teacher introduced us to a Kundalini chant, called Protecting the Heart, Projecting the Heart.

You may think I've gone off the deep end. You may think, oh no, Robin's gone all yoga-y. But it was the sweetest, gentlest and most loving chant I'd ever heard.

It got me thinking...that maybe I am not gentle enough. With myself. With everyone. Gentleness is so underrated and undervalued. Why is that?

I wish to be just a little gentler. I wish this for you too. May your life be a little gentler today.

(This marvelous song is playing as I write this: Another Language by Lamb)