Inspiration Corner with Camille Passantino
As a busy mom of two teenage girls, life can be very hectic. Long gone are the days of peekaboo and nap time. More recently, along with my day job as a Yoga Instructor, I have taken on the role of a cab driver, bank teller and college scouter to my kids when I get home. People always told me how those moments would fly on by, but it feels like I just woke up one day and now my oldest is off to college. With all these recent conversations about future careers and what courses she should take, I got to thinking about my own college days. Feels like yesterday that I was making these decisions for myself and wondering what path my life would take.
I remember when I made the choice to major in Communications at St. John’s University. This major was so broad and led me to some really insightful classes. The one that struck me the most was Cinema Studies. In this class, we would watch movies together and then pick them apart scene by scene. What I found mindblowing was that, through these discussions, we began to see all the signs of how a movie’s story would unfold. I learned about body language, camera placement, listening carefully to the choice of words and understanding the depths of the characters. By paying attention to these things you can see how all these situations would lead up to the next series of events, to the next and then eventually to the sometimes very dramatic ending. After completing this class, I would love to watch movies just to figure out how the storylines would pan out.
As I watched different types of movies, I noticed there was a common thread. It’s human nature how one thing leads to another. Just like kids grow up and life changes. Everyone has their own set of struggles. There’s the obstacles that sometimes get in the way, the things you didn’t see coming that force a shift of direction. There’s the playful, happy moments and those crying scenes that pull at our heartstrings. There’s the person that endures hardship and pushes through, the friend that shows up at the perfect time and the people that have gone too soon. There’s the heartbreak, the big surprise, the hitting rock bottom and the rise to the top. There’s youth, old age, going out and snuggling in bed. There’s intense theatrical scenes and ones that act as transitions. There’s the actors, the props, glamorous locations and brilliant settings. All these things and more that capture your attention, either leaving you replaying the movie in your mind for days or wishing you didn’t just waste two hours of your life.
This got me thinking. If you were to write the movie of your life, how would it be?
We are the creators of our own story. The thoughts we think everyday, the actions we take to create the next outcome…. the next scene. Maybe that’s why I was so drawn to Yoga and its teachings. All we have is the present moment. To be the artist, to be the director, to be the leading lady or man. What we do in this moment as we face our next hurdle, challenge or situation will lead to the feel, the vibe, scenarios, next chapters, episodes, sequels all the way to the final ending. What we do now flourishes the come back, the turn around, the growth, the superhero or the wise sage. Our thoughts are powerful and when we quiet ourselves, breathe and listen, we begin to understand our own character, we hear our own words, movie lines, the scripts we keep reciting in our heads. We see how we respond, what we cultivate, what we like or don’t. We learn how to prepare for the next scene. We start to find our supporting actors, people who are a part of our journey, that may be here for the whole story or just a few edits. And we continue to shine the spotlight on the moments that fill us with joy.
I encourage you to know that you are the director of your own life. And although there will always be those inevitable negative reviews, how you walk that red carpet with confidence, gratitude and love is all that matters. Now if only I could figure out how to get Matthew McConaughy into my movie!!!
Namaste,
Camille
