The Dreamer

Chapter 22

Sarah couldn't snooze her alarm one more time; she had already done so too many times. She pushed herself to sit on the bed and looked at the time. It was exactly 9:01 in the morning. She overslept a little bit, only half an hour more than her goal. She tried to remember if she had any meaningful dream, but the alarm had the magic effect of completely erasing from her mind any memory of her dreams. With nothing in mind, she stood up, made her bed, and headed for the bathroom. Once she had showered, brushed her teeth, and combed her hair she felt completely awake and energized. She turned on the coffee maker and put some bread in the toaster and two eggs in a pot of water before setting it on the stove. While the water boiled and the coffee machine made a pouring noise, she fixed her hair, took a good look at herself in the mirror and even smiled a good morning to herself. A couple of minutes later the toaster beeped and the sound of bread jumping called her back to the kitchen. She grabbed the toasts and put it on a plate, set the plate on the table next to a jelly bottle. She put the coffee on the table and waited for the water to boil. She looked at the time again. It was almost ten. She sighed. The days were going by so slowly. Getting used to being unemployed was a challenge. Some days were an utter mess, and some other days, like today, she set the intention from the very beginning that it would be a good day.

The first week had been mostly a general mess. She kept overeating, and having multiple panic attacks through the day. To make sure her budget stayed in line, she had cancelled her appointments with Dr. Howards, so her support system fell on Ali's shoulders. The poor thing must have hated me.

That first week, her sleep schedule turned into an uncoordinated cycle. Every single day she woke up at a different time and went to bed every day later than the day before. Dreams were now incomprehensible; details blurred and she struggled to recall anything. Her days were expended on front of the TV that had been off for months before. All she could do through the day was worry about her finances and apply for new jobs in the field, jobs she actually didn't want. It was time for a change, and the only thing she hated more than knowing she was kicked out was the idea of returning to the same line of work.

Most meals were frozen TV dinners high in salt and grease. However after one whole week living in limbo, she just couldn't take it anymore. She had left her job following a call to search for her happiness, and this was definitely not what she would call her happiness.

The second week she kept applying for jobs in the field, but simply because she had no clue of what other thing she could do. She set her intentions in getting up early, eating healthy, doing some home work outs, read, and in general enjoy her time. A couple of times she went to parks and invited Ali along.

Whenever she run out of hobbies, she dedicated a day to cut out any unnecessary expense from her budget, TV streaming, the most expensive internet package, an unused gym membership, and her land line, which she didn't even know the number, among other things and services were cancelled.

In yet another day, she took out of her closet clothes she hadn't worn in a whole year. She picked some household items that she didn't even know she owned. Once she had a pile, she headed to a donation bin and threw it all in there.

Her phone rang, brining her out of her memory trance.

"Hi Ali," she said while peeling the boiled eggs.

"Hi honey, good morning. How are you today?"

"I am great. Thank you for checking on me. Today starts my third week at home. I am sort of worried about money."

"Nope, nope, nope. We are not going there now. You already worried enough. You will figure it out honey."

"I know, I know. Thank you for reminding me," Sarah smiled and put the eggs on the plate.

"Anyways, want to hang out today?"

"Sure," Sarah shrugged.

"Awesome, don't eat too heavy. What you say 11?"

Sarah looked at the time. "Yes, it works. I'll pick you up in a bit."

"Great, wear something comfy. We are exercising."

"Sure," Sarah hung up and continued eating her breakfast. Wait, did she say we are exercising?

Forty minutes later, Sarah was parking outside Ali's home. Ali opened the front door and waved at Sarah. The little girl, Sofia, peeked out the door and waved at Sarah. Sarah smiled and waved back, feeling a sense of warmness in her heart. A young woman walked outside and ushered the little girl into the home without acknowledging Sarah.

"Are we ready?" Ali hopped in the car.

Sarah noticed she was wearing purple sweatpants, and a black sport shirt. Sarah noticed that Ali didn't look her age at all, maybe twenty years younger.

"Ready for what? Are we going for a walk?"

"Not for a walk honey. The sweatpants will do, but you didn't need the running shoes. We are going to a fitness center."

"A gym? That's not my kind of place."

"Just drive honey. I'll guide you. You will be pleasantly surprised," she winked.

Few blocks away they arrived at a yoga studio.

"Yoga? I don't know," Sarah hesitated. "I have never tried yoga."

"This is not only yoga. It's also a meditation. Come, it's a beginner class. You'll be fine."

Eagerly, Ali walked in and Sarah followed still hesitant. They checked in at the front desk and pay the fee and then were guided into a warm and dark room. It felt comfy. But sweatpants weren't the best choice, Sarah noticed. A smiley young woman walked in the room and brought yoga mats for Ali and Sarah. They set down the mats one next to the other and sat down in the silence of the room.

There were five more women in the room and a young man. Sarah waited patiently but felt the urge to start a conversation with Ali, who was laying down on her mat with a hand towel covering her eyes. Few more women started walking in, also in complete silence. Sarah wanted to look at the time, but at the front she had been instructed to leave her belongings there, phone turned off. Sarah started to feel a sense of despair. The silence of the room made her uneasy. She felt her heart racing, and a need to run out of the place. The woman that brought them their mats walked back in, announcing she was the teacher today and introducing some promotions the studio was offering, some deals, and new merchandise.

Ali sat back up and leaned to the side. She whispered in Sarah's ear, "Just relax. You will enjoy it."

The teacher started cuing few breathing techniques. Sarah obeyed and realized that within minutes she felt a lot calmer. After the breathing techniques she instructed everyone to remain seated with their eyes closed, going inwards. Sarah closed her eyes and within seconds she opened her eyes again. She forced her eyes shut again and within seconds they were open again. This time the teacher was looking at her. Sarah closed her eyes quickly and the next time she opened them, there was the teacher again, smiling gently at her. Sarah smiled back and closed her eyes. Embarrassed, she forced herself to not open her eyes again. To her own surprise, in the next two minutes, she found herself enjoying the isolation of her senses. Her mind, however, went havoc. Front Martha, to Jessica, her mind brought back every stressful moment she had experienced in the last few weeks.

As if reading her mind, in a gentle voice, the teacher suggested everyone to look at their thoughts, acknowledge them, and to not linger in them. Sarah did as told and every though that came to her, she simply let it be until they vanished. One after the other, memories and thoughts disappeared.

The next time the teacher called for them to open their eyes, Sarah felt a deep sense of relaxation. Then the stretches began. Sarah couldn't complain about the gentle poses. And within the next thirty minutes, they were laying down on their mats completely stretched and relaxed.

Sarah left the studio brimming with happiness.

"Look at you smiling," Ali joked. "I knew you would like it."

"Youwere right. This is amazing. I will join a yoga studio for sure." Sarahcouldn't believe how many things she didn't know she liked because she hadnever tried it. She had no clue where her life was going, but something shejust noticed was that the possibilities were endless.