Wednesday, January 9, 2013

365 Random Days of Team Zybko
Day #293
January 9th, 2013
Getting Half Naked With a Bunch of Old People

I would like to share one of my secrets to happiness.
Not that you even asked or anything.
No, it's not my ice cream or coffee habit that I'm referring to.
Much deeper than that people.
Although it's not a joke, you may find it funny. 
I'm serious as a heart attack about the real deal I'm about to share.

Having a bad day?
 Got a heavy heart about something?
Need some wise advice?
Vent about a family issue?




Get half naked, turn on some tunes
and jump in the pool with some old people.
Your problems melt away.
The same 40 year old knees that creaked while walking through the gym door become weightless and feel young again.
Some of these ladies are double my age, have two fake knees and maybe even a bum hip to boot. Complaining about aches and pains would certainly fall upon the wrong set of good listening ears.
Before class I am greeting by warm, genuine, parent like squeezy hugs. I see more smiley faces as I dip my baby toe into the cold pool. I can't help but smile back even though I would rather scrub 100 toilets than get in a cold pool. Even toilet bowls found in a 100 year old Frat house. 
Victoria, we are so glad you are here.
Yea, these people are pretty special.
So special I push my baby-ness and discomfort of submerging myself in the frigid, Titanic like waters of the lap pool aside. Mentally I see myself jump in using the popular cannon ball style of a 12 year boy but in reality I slither like a snake til I land on my tippy toes. Whew I'm in, well mostly. Let the games begin.
The next hour flies by, doesn't seem like work at all. I almost feel guilty for getting paid. You haven't lived until you have seen 15 or so, synchronized, happy McLeod members mostly over the age of 60 dance to Apple Bottom Jeans. Moving and grooving all the way down to the deep end, noodles proudly shaking over head. It is quite the show. This group is non-judgmental and encouraging in every way possible. These guys have already in the been there, seen it, done it. Many glasses are worn in the pool but I guarantee you their hindsight is a perfect 20/20. Having already checked off the season of "Raising Kids" I go to them with some tough scenarios. They let me be myself, sometimes even poking fun of the combined age in lanes 1,2 and 3.
Golden years for sure.
They are as good as gold to me.

I took these pictures at a luncheon last Spring. I would have loved to have posed with every single one of them but couldn't figure out a smooth way to work the room without creating some awkwardness. These ladies and gentlemen are an organized, timely, tight bunch of mostly retired peeps. The food at these get together are top notch. I suppose it's no crazy mystery why. If every invite brings their particular specialty, a specific recipe they have tweaked and perfected for say...hhmmm, longer than I have been alive. Yea, dang tooting it's gonna make you wanna go back for seconds and thirds....ssshhhhh. The company and conversation are always entertaining and equally as good as the made from scratch gazillion layer chocolate cake. The old stand by comment;
"Wow, you look different in clothes"
never gets old to any of us. I miss this gig and teaching this crowd at McLeod but as of now the classes are taken care of. Bummer, I wonder if I should crash the end of the month luncheon despite my unemployment status. I am always in need of some sound advice and a large slice of comfort pie.   

















1 comment:

  1. I love these peeps!!!! Thank you for writing these words. Getting "shoved" into that same icy water back in September with very little idea of what was in store for me and probably even less idea of what I was doing has been the BEST part of my year. I know whatever it was that I was doing before these water lilies came into my life was not fun enough. <3. I'm still not as cool as you and Deb but I take pointers just ask Mr.Dr. Rufus.

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