3.284 Peace in, chaos out

I expected Desiree would sleep late, given it was nearing 3 a.m. by the time she arrived home, but I wanted to check in on her anyway. Even knowing she was safe in bed, my dad instincts wouldn’t let me rest until I saw her. I twisted the doorknob as quietly as I could and tiptoed inside. As expected, she was fast asleep. Winters could get pretty gnarly in the area where the pier is, and she didn’t wear a coat, so I carefully placed my hand on her forehead to make sure she didn’t have a fever. That’s when I noticed she’d put up her pictures before going to bed. All the kids looked so cheerful and grown. I could feel the fun radiating from the photos. Judging from the one in the place of honor—the nightstand—I’d say her night went exactly as planned. That cheeky little devil. I’m glad for her, though. First crushes were so magical once both parties knew where they stood with each other. I trust her not to get in over head. My only concern was for the boy. He had no idea what he was in for, heh.

With the morning running away from me, and Sophia on baby duty, I busied myself with my usual tasks so I could be 100% present when Desiree got up. I walked the dogs, worked out, tended the garden, and cleaned up. By 5 p.m., I had settled in the kitchen with leftovers and was ready to hear Desi’s prom story.

She bounded down the stairs and plopped next to me.

“Hey, Daddy! Let’s do yoga.”

That wasn’t exactly the response I expected, but I was here for it. We hadn’t worked out together in a long time. Frankly, I was touched she still wanted to.

“Now?“

She nodded enthusiastically.

“Okay. Just let me finish eating.”

“Yay! You can teach Josh some moves.”

“Josh? He’s here?”

The boy came out of wherever he was hiding.

“Uhh, hi, Mr. Murillo.”

Where the hell had he been this whole time? Upstairs? And Sophia allowed it? Is that what we’re doing now??

“Hi, Josh. So you wanna learn yoga, huh?”

Desi answered for him.

“He needs some peace in his life.”

“I see. Well, yoga can definitely help. Why don’t you two go change? I’ll be ready by then. The bathroom is just through there, Josh,” I said with a stern look, daring him to follow her upstairs.

I know they’re innocent, but I want to keep it that way as long as possible. Who knew what today’s kids thought was appropriate.

The morning rain had left the ground soaked, so I rolled out mats on the porch. Desi smirked like she knew exactly what she was doing, pulling her little crush into my world. I wasn’t mad at it. She had a twinkle in her eye, and I knew she wanted him to see her in her element. I remembered doing the same when I first invited Sophia to one of my classes. Josh looked nervous, his hands twitching as he smoothed the mat like it might bite him. But he was game. That counted.

“Alright, we’ll start easy. Just stand on your mat, feet together, arms down at your sides. Relax those shoulders. This is how we start every session. Nothing complicated. Just stand tall. Take a breath in through your nose. Let it out slow through your mouth. Feel your weight settle into the ground beneath you.”

“Now, bring your palms together at your chest. That’s Prayer Pose. You can close your eyes if you want, or keep ’em open. Doesn’t matter. Just breathe. It doesn’t matter how flexible you are. If you can breathe, you can do yoga.”

Desi kept her eyes forward, sharp and steady, like she already meant business. Josh had his closed, shoulders dropping a little as he exhaled. For a kid who usually looked tense, he actually seemed more at ease than I expected.

“Alright, this one is called Downward Dog. Hands down on the mat, fingers spread wide. Press through your palms, hips back, butt in the air. Try to make a V. Stretch those legs as straight as you can get them. Don’t worry if your heels don’t touch the mat—that’s not the point. Keep your spine long and head between your arms. Breathe in through the nose, out slooooow through your mouth.”

I shifted to the three-legged version, lifting one leg high and steady. Out of habit, I glanced at them. Desi struggled, forcing her heels down like she hadn’t heard a word I said. I’d seen her do it perfectly many times before. She better not be trying to show off. That’s how people get hurt.

Josh, though… He surprised me. Kid settled right in. Shoulders even, head down, controlled breaths. He looked like he’d been doing this longer than he claimed.

“From Plank, shift your weight to one side. Stack your feet, lift your top arm up. That’s your Side Plank. Bottom arm stays straight, press into the mat. Hips up—don’t let ’em sink. You should feel it in your side and all through your core. Control your breathing.”

Desi held the standard version strong and steady. Good form, no ego. Josh copied me and went right for the advanced version, lifting his top leg like he had something to prove. His arm and hips trembled like crazy, and his face was so tight it also trembled, but he stayed with it. Kid had guts. Maybe too much. But I gave him credit for not bailing.

“This is the Standing Side Stretch. Feet together. Arms up overhead, palms together. Now, lean to one side slowly. Don’t collapse into it, just reeeeach. Feel that stretch in your ribs and into your hip. Try leaning in a little deeper every time you exhale.”

I checked their form. Both of them looked solid. Desi was focused because she’d done this before. But Josh surprised me again. His stretch was so smooth and controlled, not trying to muscle through it like beginners usually do. It was clear he wasn’t the type to sit around all day.

“Yes, just like that,” I said. “Breathe into it. Don’t force it. Good job. Let’s do Downward Dog again. Hands down, hips up, same thing as before. Breathe with it.”

Repeating a pose gives the body a chance to go further if it wants. In a real class, we’d do this often. But honestly, I wanted to give Desi another chance. Call me soft, but if she wanted to impress her boo, I had to help her. Still, she struggled, though. Maybe she was too in her head.

“Alright, last pose. Lie flat on your back. Legs out, arms at your sides, palms up. Doesn’t get easier than this. Just let the mat hold you. Breathe in … breathe out. No effort. Just rest.”

I stretched out with them for a few breaths. All was quiet on the porch except for our inhales and exhales. Desi fidgeted once before settling in. Josh stayed still, chest rising slow and stable, like he’d been waiting for permission to stop and just be.

After a minute, I sat up. “Alright. That’s it for yoga tonight.” I looked at Josh. “Do you have time for one more thing?”

He nodded. “Yeah, sure.”

“Good. Then let’s take it to the yard. I’ll show you how to sit with the breath. That’s where the real work happens.”

We left the mats on the porch and headed for the benches in the yard. Rosie and Kooper trotted after us, settling in like they knew the routine. The ground was still soaked, but at least we didn’t have to sit on the wet grass. Besides, the openness of the yard made for a better place to finish.

“Alright, grab a seat. Cross your legs if it’s comfortable. It doesn’t matter how it looks. Just get into a position you can stay in for a few minutes.”

They copied me, adjusting until they settled.

“Hands on your knees, palms up. It’s best if you close your eyes, but that’s up to you. Just breathe. In through the nose, out through the mouth.”

I listened until their breathing matched mine. Three sets in, the air around us felt still.

“Here’s the thing. You can’t stop your thoughts. The work is noticing when your mind runs off and dragging it back. Again and again. So let’s make it simple. Inhale—think peace. Exhale—let go of chaos. Peace in, chaos out.”

The silence held, broken only by our breath…and Rosie curling against my leg. I shot Kooper a look, warning him not to start singing and break their focus. Desi’s exhales softened. Josh’s stayed quiet, calmer than I’d seen him all night.

When we finally opened our eyes, the yard felt lighter, like the night had exhaled with us.

Josh got up from his bench and walked over to me.

“Thanks, Mr. Murillo. For … you know. Taking the time. It means a lot.”

I nodded. “Anytime. Keep breathing. That’s all it takes.”

Funny thing. I thought I was out there teaching them. Turns out I needed it just as bad. For a minute, even my own chaos gave me some space.