Sunrise Yoga on the Pier

A woman in my town teaches free yoga at sunrise on the fishing pier every Saturday from June to September. I went once on a whim. Now I haven't missed a week in two summers.

There are usually about fifteen of us: teenagers, grandparents, a guy who comes straight from his night shift at the hospital, a woman who brings her baby in a carrier and does every pose with him strapped to her chest.

We stretch as the sky goes pink, then orange. The fishermen at the end of the pier pretend not to watch. Pelicans glide past at eye level. Last month a pod of dolphins swam by during the final pose, and the whole class sat up and pointed like children.

The teacher says you don't have to be good at yoga to come; you just have to show up. I'm not good at yoga. I show up.