Notes on Grace Part 3

This story switches POV between the two main characters. Their names at the beginning of each segment will denote whose perspective we get. Enjoy!

*3*

Grace

Her eyes were on me. I could feel them. Not really burning into me, but just roaming, lazily, as though she were perusing a piece of literature. I found myself suddenly hoping fiercely that I wasn’t so easily read. I resisted the urge to close up and tried to focus on the staff meeting. I found myself writing notes, but every time I looked down instead of having a note on what to do in a particular situation that might arise at the wellness center, I had an idea for a painting. A few words here and there, maybe just a caption. Something that would help me remember the inspiration later. I sighed miserably. I was going to have absolutely no idea what to do when it actually came time to do my job.

I walked into The Lotus Wellness Center in Union Square looking for the job that was going to help me thrive. I had realized after college that I wanted to help people. I am the first to admit that I am privileged. I never had to really ask my parents more than once for anything, and they didn’t put any pressure on me to find a job after college. My mother wrote children’s book for a living and my father owned a publishing company. We had enough money that they encouraged me to do what “fulfilled” me. I took a hard look at myself after college and decided that I wanted to help people.

The idea came after watching a Tony Robbins video by chance. My best friend, Paul, came across a video of his that he recommend that I watch. One look at it and I was hooked. I needed to be able to help people that way. The look on their faces when they had breakthroughs was worth a million of my paintings. Once I talked with someone, offered as much gentle advice as I could give, I found that there was no stemming my creative flow. Painting after painting would come, as if somehow, the universe was reciprocating through my muse. Each time I gave to someone I got so much more inspiration. it was a wonderful feeling both ways, and I knew that there were so many people out there who needed it. Especially in a place like New York.

So I looked at different yoga centers and wellness institutes. I liked to move. Ever since I was young I would move and dance and react to life with movement. I figured if I was going to start helping people, the best place to start would be a place that involved my body. I wasn’t an amazing speaker like Tony. I was shy and easily overcome by groups of people. And I knew that it took me a long time to feel comfortable enough with a person to really give them the advice that I knew I could offer, but somehow, my body instinctively knew what someone needed and would offer it when my voice faltered. So I interviewed and The Lotus unfolded and took me in.

I was immediately struck by how beautiful the space was. When I walked in, It was almost as though the city ceased to exist. The Lotus was decorated in soft whites and creams that I thought would look harsh and sterile had someone described them to me, but instead, found them calming and purifying. The doors were made of an opaque plexiglass that lent a dream like feeling to the entire center and the windows were all draped with gauzy material. Some were white, others were cream and yellow. The moment I walked into the place, the magic of it all caught me and I found myself smiling. I knew that it was going to be a good fit.