Does a picture really tell a thousand words?

On our last day in Colorado we decided to drive up to Mt. Evens which is 14,000 feet.  We made it to 12,000 feet and arrived at a beautiful part of the mountain where we could enjoy a hike and look out over Summit Lake, Chicago Lake and a few others.  Well these kids from the Midwest had some serious fear going on just driving up the longest paved road in North America, but we decided to try a little hiking anyway.  

As I was traversing a trail that was leading me up to 14,000 feet, these words popped into my head.  "Does a picture really tell a thousand words?"

Yes, the pristine lake, the beautiful wildflowers, the lack of trees that we had just driven through, all different types of rocks, these are what you could see if I took a picture.

BUT...
What the picture doesn't show is my blood pumping, my lungs trying to get more oxygen, the fear in my head of slipping, my legs tiring pretty quickly, and the excitement of being up so high and seeing so much beauty. 

And what does this have to do with Yoga and Pilates?  

So many people tell me they can't do yoga or pilates. I started to wonder if now that instagram and facebook show so many crazy poses and movements in these modalities that people decide they just can't do that.  

Yes, the instagram picture only tells us so much.  We don't know how long someone has been practicing.  We don't know what kind of injuries they have or don't have, we don't know what kind of life they lead.  

There are so many things that happen behind a picture.  

I didn't make it very far on my hike, but I did what I felt worked for me and my body that day.  

Just like pilates and yoga.  We start at the beginning and work our body to where we are that day.  

The picture will never tell us the whole story. 

So enjoy the beauty of the view wherever you are in this moment.