Yoga, a Balcony, and the Delusion of Being Flexible

I was standing on the balcony of my cruise ship cabin. It was surprisingly large, with a long 45-inch railing, the same height as a barre. The sun was rising, the ocean was Bahama blue, and I had just finished twenty minutes of gentle YouTube yoga with Kassandra.

I didn’t have a mat, so I used the one they put on the bed at check-in to keep the luggage from getting the bedspread dirty.

After twenty minutes of stretching, I was feeling pretty good.

I didn’t give it much thought. I just decided it was the perfect moment to see what my body could still do. I wondered if I could get my leg up on that railing.

Thought and action were simultaneous.

I literally threw my leg up onto the railing like I was sixteen again. My leg went up surprisingly easily. I reached down and grabbed my toes.

I even bent forward a little to see if I could rest my head on my knee. I could not.

My husband stepped out onto the balcony, saw my pose, and said, “Count to ten.” Why ten was the goal—or who I was competing with—I have no idea. I stayed there until I counted to thirty, then lowered my foot back to the deck.

Triumph.

Emboldened by this success, I decided to try the same thing with my stiffer, less cooperative left leg. This time it was harder. I got my leg up, but I had to use my hands to pull it into place. I definitely couldn’t reach my toes. I could barely touch my knee. I did not try to bend forward—because just standing there was painful. I heard YouTube Yoga Kassandra’s voice reminding me that my morning yoga was gentle.

Nothing about this was gentle. I tried to lift my leg off the railing, but I was stuck.

My husband had to stand behind me so I wouldn’t fall backward while he helped pull my leg down. There is nothing quite like needing a rescue to get your foot back on the ground.

Here’s the thing, though—I don’t regret it.

I’m not sixteen. I was never a ballerina. But for a moment, staring out at the ocean, I asked myself the question:

How high can I lift my leg?

The answer was:

• Higher than I thought

• Lower than I thought

Aging isn’t about pretending you’re young. It’s about continuing to try—and laughing when you misjudge your abilities.

Balcony railings may be questionable yoga props for novices who haven’t reached the intermediate stage.

But that sunrise?That moment of trying?

I’ll take the sore hip.