sweet bird of youth

Tenterhook. (noun) A metal hook used for stretching cloth on a tenter.

I always assumed that to be on tenterhooks was something like lying on a bed of nails. Suspense equaling inability to rest.

But actually it’s meant to mean an experience of stretching. And as an erstwhile practitioner of yoga, I state with authority that it is not only possible, but salutatory, to rest while you stretch.

Stretching means increasing your capacity to comfortably reach between extremes.

Why do we spend so much time learning the practice of reason, when everything valuable in life ends up being a paradox, fundamentally making no sense in cost-benefit analysis?

I think it’s so that we can justify going with our inclinations, with what feels good.

We do cardio-vascular exercise to increase our muscle strength, our ability to support and resist, but what do they always say? Stretch before and after. I never knew why this was necessary until I started thinking of it in analogy. Strength is just ability to rest under a given load. (We don’t think of strength as being able to hold up our own heads, but a month-old baby does.) And stretching allows us to rest under that given load in a variety of positions. Downward-facing-dog pose makes holding up your head more of a chore than you’re used to.

Now try living fully in the present moment while giving thought and effort to the care of your future. And while you’re considering that, stop complaining about the lost flexibility of your youth. The youth don’t necessarily want it, but we need it, so we have it.

first published 7/29/07, 5.11am