Sometimes the best conversations are after the camera stops rolling. Such was the case with Sunny. Her name really says it all, but what kind of writer would I be if I didn’t attempt to paint it for you? Sunny is a beautiful 34 year old Thai woman, wife and mother of 2, with a yoga practice right next to Haad Chao Phao Beach on Koh Phangan. And when I say RIGHT next to the beach, I mean here is the view from the yoga floor:
Yes, a view like that does add an additional element of zen to each morning! But beyond the view, it’s the exuberant energy of Sunny and the enthusiasm she brings to her morning flow yoga. In this interview I ask her to tell me how she shows someone she loves them. And her answer is as genuine as her smile, but if I could go back in time, I would have kept recording after our short shoot ended. Because that’s when we bonded. We realized just how much we have in common. And I saw the peeled-back layer of Sunny that would have made Barbara Walters proud.
I would not have guessed that she (Sunny, not Barbara Walters) had been a tech nerd and a nurse before. Or that she had gone to university in Canada, where she met her husband. But the thing she said that really touched me was that one day she just thought about her career and said “I only get one life. This isn’t what I want to do with it.” That’s the moment I knew she was my kindred spirit. I had suspected all along – that instant comfort feeling you get on occasion when you meet someone – and now I knew it!
We talked about how we “found yoga” and what it meant for us. I shared some concerns and she gave me encouraging advice as I continue to practice. I can honestly say, I’m most happy on days that start with yoga, but 3 years ago (when I tried yoga for the first time) I would NEVER have dreamt I’d feel that way! I am not flexible. I am not good at the deep breathing. And that 10 minutes of meditation at the end is really really hard! But I know it is improving me. I can feel it. Inside and out. The same way that Sunny felt it when she started 3 years ago.
These surprise connections with people truly make my trip worthwhile. Refreshing little snippets of life. The kind that fit perfectly into your pocket for carrying along on your journey.
So without further ado, here is my interview with Sunny. (Please forgive my limited skills for framing in this one! I think her gorgeous smile will make up for it :)).
Amanda in Asia 