September 4 – “Joining the wisened silverheads”

Day one of my new water aerobics exercise/therapy class in in the books.  I have to say I have never done anything quite like that before.  I joined in with the rest of the gray hairs in a class offered by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) of UTMB.  It is an organization that offers “older” community members opportunities to take college level classes as well as courses like this one.  I have taught a few New Testament courses and one on Christian symbols before.  This, however, is my first time to actually sign up for a class as a wisened silverhead. 

In the exercises we learned were quite helpful to me.  In the water there is less stress on my joints from my arthritis, so I am able to get my heart rate up by actually exercising instead of fighting pain.  Certainly an option I prefer.  The instructor was upbeat and encouraging, and obviously a fellow morning person.  She stood outside the pool where we could see her demonstrate the movements.  I thought it was kind of funny that she turned on music so we would have a beat to follow.  There is no way we were doing in the water the kinds of things she was doing on land and still maintain the tempo of the music.  I appreciated the thought, though.  Made me think I was in some kind of slow motion zumba class.  I was surprised by how many exercises she showed us using one of those pool noodles.  In fact, the hardest movements we attempted involved that noodle.  At one point we were supposed to step on it.  Not as easy as it sounds.  You have to get your leg up high enough to get your foot on top of it.  And then you have to keep it there while you push it down.  It was not exactly easy to hang onto a round foam object with my foot.  I don’t have monkey toes.  The other one that was particularly tough had us holding the noodle under the water with both hands, and then making a motion like we were pedaling a bicycle with our hands.  That was an unexpected upper body workout.  The other problem I had was drifting backwards further and further into deeper water.  The exercises are designed to be done in water not quite up to your shoulders.  It’s hard to do the dips and bends when doing them puts your head under water.  Not to mention the difficulty keeping your balance.  If nothing else, though, I have to say it felt like I had done a workout. 

After class the instructor pulled me to the side.  I thought maybe I was being sent to the principal’s office, but she just wanted to see how things had gone.  She told me that the class was set up for everyone to do things at their own pace, so if I was ready for her to show me some new things that would challenge me more, she would be happy to do it.  I wasn’t sure how to take that.  On the one had I was reveling in the fact that I had just made it through this class without drowning.  Now she was telling me that she could make it considerably harder.  I guess I should be honored that she thought I could do more.  I assured her that I was fine at the moment just learning all the different moves she was throwing at us.  I appreciated the offer, but one thing at a time, please. 

Psalms 108:4 says, “For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.”

Father, thank you for a new opportunity to get some much-needed exercise without so much pain involved.  Amen.