One month in and I am in love.
They say love shows up when you least expect it. I was not looking for it, not really. But somewhere between the dust of renovations, the late night planning sessions, and the moment the very first reformer arrived at the door, something happened. I fell head over heels.
Her name is Pilates on Plains, or POP for short.
From the moment the doors opened, it felt like we had known each other forever. She is beautiful, a little high maintenance, and keeps me up at night, but I love her all the same. Every morning when I walk through the front door and switch on the lights, I feel a spark, like a first date that keeps surprising me.
I have met so many wonderful people because of her. Some have completely surprised me in the best ways. A few have kept things interesting with their own little plot twists. But that is what love is, imperfect and unpredictable, and absolutely worth it.
Some classes fill so quickly they make my heart skip. Others are still finding their rhythm, and that is perfectly okay. The hardest part is choosing which ones stay and which ones need to shift or evolve. Just like any relationship, there are compromises and tough calls. And sometimes the hardest part is not wanting to disappoint the people who have been with me from the beginning, my instructors.
They have been my rocks. Supportive, kind, funny, and so loyal. They send the sweetest messages, and yes, I save every one of them. On the hard days, I reread them and remember exactly why I started this journey.
There are things I wish I had done differently. There always are. But love teaches you patience. It teaches you that perfection is not the goal, connection is. And connection is something we have in abundance at Pilates on Plains.
The other day, I realized I had not vacuumed my house in a week. A full week. Normally I run the vacuum every day, but lately I have been living, breathing, and dreaming about the studio. When I finally did vacuum, I could have made Tank a fluffy little brother from all the fur. I laughed so hard, and that is when it hit me. This is what love looks like. A little messy, a little chaotic, and completely full of joy.
Someone mentioned recently that I follow a lot of people on Instagram. Apparently if the number you follow is close to the number of people following you, it means you are “fishing for followers.” Not me. I follow people because I am genuinely interested in their lives. Every single person who follows Pilates on Plains gets a personal thank you message from me. If someone takes time out of their day to connect, it matters. Some of our clients found us because of those messages, and now I get to see their families, their dogs, their celebrations, their adventures. That is not fishing. That is friendship.
So here we are, still early in this love story. I am still smitten. Still tired. Still learning. But my heart is full. Pilates on Plains is not just a studio. She is part of me.
And like any love story worth telling, I cannot wait to see where this one goes next.
If you have been waiting for a sign to start something new, this might be it.
Come fall in love with movement, community, and the magic of feeling stronger inside and out.
Book your next class or stop by to say hello.
Love grows beautifully in places like this.
xo Marion