” POOL PARTY ” !

I CAN’T BELIEVE WHAT A BLESSING IT IS TO HAVE MADE SO MANY FRIENDS FROM A SWIMMING CLASS ! 

FOR MANY YEARS NOW I’VE BEEN WORKING OUT 3 TIMES A WEEK IN AN AQUAFIT CLASS NEAR MY HOME.  BUT FROM THE VERY FIRST DAY THAT I ENTERED THAT POOL I WAS APPROACHED BY A FRIENDLY WOMAN WHO SAID, ” I KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND …WELCOME ! ” 

I MUST ADMIT I WAS A BIT UNNERVED BY THIS UNUSUAL WELCOME BUT MY ( NOW ) FRIEND, ELIZABETH TOLD ME THAT SOMEONE HAD GIVEN HER TERRY’S BOOK ” ORDINARY GUY- EXTRAORDINARY MARRIAGE ” AND THAT’S HOW SHE KNEW SO MUCH ABOUT US! 

WE NOT ONLY WORK OUT BODIES IN THIS POOL BUT OUR MOUTHS GET A PRETTY GOOD WORKOUT TOO…HA HA. MOST OF THE GROUP ARE SENIORS AND A LOT OF THEM CAN MOVE BETTER THAN ME ! 

FOR MANY OF US THIS IS THE ONE PLACE THAT WE CAN MEET UP WITH FRIENDS ON A REGULAR BASIS AND IN A NON-WORK ENVIRONMENT.  WIDOWS, WIDOWERS , SINGLE FOLKS,  COUPLES, FOLKS WITH MOBILITY ISSUES ( LIKE MYSELF) AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE FOUND FRIENDSHIPS WITHIN THIS ENVIRONMENT AND THEN THE FRIENDSHIPS ARE NURTURED WITH A GOOD OLD CUP O’ COFFEE AT ONE OF THE MANY ESTABLISHMENTS NEAR TO THE POOL AFTER CLASS. 

I HAVE BEEN TAKING AQUAFIT CLASSES FOR YEARS STARTING BACK IN CALGARY AND I HAVE BEEN IN MANY DIFFERENT POOLS. BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE SEEN A GROUP OF PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TO WORK OUT AND CARE FOR EACH OTHER.  IF SOMEONE ISN’T THERE FOR EVEN ONE DAY …PEOPLE MIGHT WORRY AND EVEN MAKE A PHONE CALL TO MAKE SURE ALL IS WELL. 

I MYSELF HAD MANY VISITORS FROM OUR POOL FRIENDS WHEN I WAS LAID UP AT HOME AFTER MY FOOT/ANKLE OPERATION.  I HAVE NEVER MET A GROUP OF KINDER FOLKS. I GO OUT TO BREAKFAST SOMETIMES WITH MY ( NOW) VERY CLOSE FRIEND, BOB, WHO IS 88.  OTHER FRIENDS MEET UP REGULARLY TOO FOR MEALS OR TO VISIT A FRIEND IN THE HOSPITAL PERHAPS.

AND WHAT I ALSO LOVE IS OUR INSTRUCTOR, SIMONE, ENCOURAGES US TO DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO. SHE SAYS THAT SOMETIMES OUR SOULS NEED THE COMPANIONSHIP MORE THAN THE BODY NEEDS THE STRENUOUS EXERCISE.

I AM GLAD I HAVE BOTH AND SO LAST NIGHT WE OPENED UP OUR HOME TO SOME OF OUR GANG ( WE DON’T KNOW EVERYONE IN THE POOL …AND SOME WERE SICK) FOR THE 3RD TIME ( I THINK  ) AND HAD THE MOST WONDERFUL , POTLUCK , FESTIVE PARTY.  I COOKED A DELICIOUS HONEY HAM AND MADE SOME SCALLOPED POTATOES AND THESE THINGS WERE AUGMENTED BY THE GREAT APPETIZERS, SALADS, VEGGIES, FRESH BREADS…AND DESSERTS OUR FRIENDS BROUGHT WITH THEM !  THE WINE AND LAUGHTER WERE FLOWING AND MY HEART…IS OVER-FLOWING TOO!