Some Swim with the Fishes

April 8, 2011 by Bridgesburning Chris King | 16 Comments

Fishes

Some Swim with The Fishes

I swim with a small group of elderly folk. Now before some of you youngsters out there start to roll your eyes and chuckle, these guys are like twenty and thirty years older than I.

I am fortunate to live in a lovely building that has a large indoor pool, gym, sauna, hot tub..well you get the idea. And every morning I swim. Okay, okay..since I have come to love y’all I’ll tell the truth. I swim four or five times a week. But in my mind I swim every day.

When I started the morning thing I met a couple in their eighties who ARE there every morning. He swims leisurely and she walks around the pool. (they also hit the gym in the afternoon.) Then comes an even older lady who exercises in the water doing stretches. The topper is a gal in her nineties who comes in with her walker. She is amazing. She does LAPS! And not just one or two but again and again. They are all an inspiration to me. And an education.

I find out when Asparagus is on sale, what market has the best sales, who is running for local government, what is making our country great and who not to vote for. I also find out an amazing amount of local gossip.

I have been in this building for four years and barely know my neighbors. This quiet little group tell me every time there has been a plumbing problem, exactly how a robbery took place, who is getting married, who is getting unmarried, well everything imaginable.

They also give me advice. I’m a kid to them. And I lap it up. They have raised families, fought in wars, immigrated, and survived cancer, death of loved ones and aging.

They are truly inspiring and it is an honor to be welcomed into their group.

Their knowledge is a little spooky though. They never ask me personal questions and I never say much but I just have this feeling they know everything.

Judith at growingyoungereachday.wordpress.com did a nice piece on
Chronology vs Biology. She is fairly new having just started her blog in March. If you get a chance please stop by and welcome her!

About these ads

Author: Bridgesburning Chris King

It's been an interesting time adjusting to 'retirement' after a long career in nursing. Forty odd years actually and the challenge has been to try and figure out who I am. It seems that for the largest part of my life I have defined myself as a nurse. More so than a mother, wife etc - you know all those tags we hang on ourselves and for what reason? I am still learning, still searching, and still evolving I guess. At first it all seemed a little confusing, trying to sort out the what and the who and the like. Now it has become a great adventure. I have so many wonderful models that I have met here on Wordpress. It is amazing how close you can feel to those who brave the pages each day or week or month to share a little of themselves.