Fitting In

I took a yoga class this afternoon.  It was challenging of course.  They really don't take it easy on you here. And boy were some of these 55 plus ladies flexible.  I mean really....  I didn't know it was possible for the human body to contort in to some of the positions.  Let's just say that since I can barely touch my toes on a good day, it was a challenging class.

So, I thought I would take a quick swim afterword.  You know... 10 minutes paddling around in the pool.  20 minutes spacing out in a chair watching the sunset.  

And I DID do that.  But, first Jackie struck up a conversation with me.  She had been in the yoga class, but I hadn't really  noticed her (I hadn't noticed ANYONE; all of my attention was focused on approximating the positions well enough to avoid too much attention from the instructor!).  

Jackie is probably a few years older than I am  - but not many.  Jackie is tiny.  And she is struggling with cancer.  As we stood there in the locker room, her life story poured out.  A late in life marriage.  A daughter. A life blessed with health.  Until this.  She showed me the scar that was left after her stomach was removed. She talked about faith and death and miracles.

I liked her. And she put an exclamation point on something I am finding over and over again as I meet people in this community.  

EVERYBODY, by the time they hit their 50th birthday has a story to tell.   So no one is overly interested with my story.  I have done far more listening than talking since I moved here - which has surprised me, but suits me fine.  As we moved in to this fairly small and gated world, I was concerned that our personal life would get in the way of meeting people.  I felt like we were moving in with a flashing light over our heads: "Gay Irish Ladies with tragic back story."

The reality has been that no one cares.  These folks have their own complex lives.  As long as the landscapers show up regularly to maintain our yard and we don't put our trash out too early  we are going to fit in just fine.

I think I'll take yoga again next week.   I don't expect I'll be any better at it than I was today, but I want to know how Jackie is doing.