Some people can tell you almost exactly when they knew, just knew, what it was they were supposed to do with their life. That moment for Sarah Harris was in the 5th grade at South Highlands when she was chosen to design the cover for the 5th grade play playbill. That meant going to her art teacher’s house and working together to create her vision. 

That is a big deal for an 11-year-old. The teacher, Judy Ball Johnson, played a big role in motivating and encouraging Sarah’s efforts. Fast forward to high school at Magnet and the legendary art teacher, Edward Allen. Sarah learned even more through CMH’s numerous art options that spanned the fine arts mediums – painting, mixed media, pottery, photography, drawing and more – under his tutelage. Sarah was also a member of an after-school art program led by Shirlene Alexander and Marabella Dunn. 

By the time Sarah entered Centenary College, she had already studied art with Shreveport-Bossier’s art luminaries. She continued her work, earned an art degree with a minor in business, met Leif Sherry, the man she would marry, and armed with her faith in God and her love of art, she stepped out into the real world. 

And then it hit her. If she wanted to earn a living, she would need more than a degree in art. She had always been intrigued with architecture, so the next step in her journey was to enroll in graduate school and pursue a degree in that field. While Sarah worked on her masters at Washington University in St. Louis, Leif was earning his advanced degree at Northwestern in Chicago. 

The next stop on her journey would be an internship at the prestigious OKA Architect firm. Sarah professes that she learned so much more on the job (she was hired full time after that first year) than in the classroom. “I found it intriguing because it’s a lot like putting the pieces of a puzzle together. I’ve always thought I’d make a good detective because I like to figure things out,” said Sarah. Because she thought she and Leif would remain in the Chicago area, she moved to Grunsfeld Shafer Architects, a firm that specialized in high-end residential buildings. Then, wouldn’t you know, the couple’s path would land them in the Washington D.C. area where Leif was offered a job once he graduated. Sarah found her place in the Rippeteau Architecture Firm, known for residential, office spaces and historic restoration. In fact, Rippeteau did the work on a historic church’s steeple that was designed by the same architect that designed the nation’s Capital Dome. 

Five Manly Benefits of Yoga 

An hour on the mat in a yoga class might not be at the top of a man’s mind. But once a man is aware that yoga improves strength, coordination, and cardiovascular health—just to name a few—he is likely to anticipate the next yoga class before the current one ends.

1. Improves Range of Motion

Men have certain muscles that are the main targets of exercises at the gym, such as hamstrings, glutes, abdomen, and shoulders. However, these muscles can only be trained to a certain limit. When they focus on certain exercises such as weightlifting or bench press, the repetitive and monotonous movements only affect certain groups of muscles. And in the long run, this will restrain the muscles’ range of motion and growth.

Yoga is a way to build muscles. It uses natural body weight and resistance to build lean muscle mass, lengthening the muscles and tissue, which improves blood flow. Better blood flow means more oxygen to the muscles, which helps them recover faster so they can grow. It is therefore wise to alternate gym exercises with yoga.  

1. Improves Breathing

Breathing is an unconscious round-the-clock act, providing necessary oxygen to our bodies. Naturally, our bodies are designed to breathe through the nose, and we need to breathe the right way.

Experts say that most people breathe at 10-20 percent of their full capacity. This poor way of breathing can contribute to a multitude of health problems, from high blood pressure to insomnia. Fortunately, when exposed to yoga, a person will become accustomed to breathe in and out through the nose, taking in fuller, deeper breaths, which stimulates the lower lung to distribute greater amounts of oxygen throughout the body.

1. Creates a Balanced Body and Mind

It is important for our muscles to be in balance so that they support each other equally. Unfortunately, nobody has a perfectly balanced body. Mindbodyonline.com discusses the benefit of yoga for runners, giving examples that certain people can have hips that turn inward when running—causing hip-related issues. Other people may step incorrectly, causing a torqueing motion in their muscles and resulting in a pull of the muscles in the shin.