So I finally got back to the pool the other day after a 5 month hiatus of not swimming. My last swim was my Ironman Wisconsin 2.4 mile swim... Go figure...
I looked at the upcoming weather and we were suppose to hit below zero temperatures the next two days... That got me out the door! Knowing that it would be much 'warmer' if I swam that day vs. the next two days... So off I went.
But it wasn't my swim that made me want to write this blog post, it was this lady that I met that morning, and her name is Bonnie. I've seen Bonnie many many times at the gym, usually swimming in the pool. We've exchanged smiles in the past, but we've never spoken because she was either on the opposite side of the pool, me ending my swim and her starting hers, we just never had the opportunity to really cross paths, until that morning...
In between one of my swim sets, she started talking to me. Normally, I would just say hello, respond to what they say to me, and then just 'look' busy by looking at my watch or the clock, drink my water, and look like I'm about to get into my next set. I've also shortened my rest period in the past, just to hopefully send along the message that I don' have time to 'chat'...
But this time, I just wanted to be present and see what she had to say...
"Wow, you're really going for it today! You're a really good swimmer!" said Bonnie.
"Aw thank you!" I said. (Even though in the back of my mind, I'm really not a great swimmer. I can get by, I swim to get from point A to point B and just get it over with, without drowning. lol.)
I explained to Bonnie how I haven't been in the water since last September. She responded by saying, "Well, where have you been?! If you swim like that, you should be here all the time."
I smiled back at her and explained that I've just been too lazy to come to the pool, especially when it's so cold outside, but hoping to be better now... I then finished my last two sets of swim and we again, ended up on the same side of the pool.
We talked some more, and we both realized that we had so much in common! We love to sing, play guitar, she owns her own business as a counselor, shared with her that I am also a small business owner with my photography company... We both went to school in the health field, but currently not practicing what we went to school for - we had a laugh about that!
I learned that Bonnie was 81. I WISH I had taken a photo of her (but we did just meet, and I didn't want to be that creeper new friend asking for a photo. lol!) Bonnie did NOT look like she was 81! After complimenting her, she shared with me that the biggest thing in life is to BE CONSISTENT. "Doesn't matter what it is that you do, just be consistent," she said. Then she shared another quote that she said was her favorite, and it's actually one of mine too! Again, another thing in common between the two of us.
"A done something is better than a perfect nothing." I originally heard this quote from "Do it on a Dime" Youtube
After swimming, my normal routine is to jump in the sauna and then shower. Guess who I saw in the steam room!? So we shared a little more about ourselves and she asked me how old I was. I told her I was turning 47 soon. She couldn't believe it and said I looked really young for my age. :) Told her that I was actually having a hard time turning 47 for some reason. In my mind, I feel like it's just getting closer to 50... lol
Then she said something that I will never forget... Again, it's another quote.
"Do not fret about growing older because not everyone has the privilege to."
Ok so that stopped me in my tracks... WOW...
It's so CRAZY how the timing in our lives work! I haven't gone swimming in 5 months, I've seen Bonnie numerous times in the past, but we have never crossed paths... To be on the same side of the pool, at the same time, and exchange words... I'm so grateful that that happened!
We were destined to meet and share that day.
If I hadn't been present, and have gone on with my usual mentality of just keeping to myself and get in the water and get out ASAP, then I wouldn't have met an amazing and inspiring lady named Bonnie that day.
I hope to see Bonnie again and (hopefully more regularly with my swims), but even if I don't, she's already had made an impact in my life, even though we were only together for a short while.
Trust the timing of your life. Being more present is something that I've been working on more recently with my meditations... And I'm glad I was able to be present then...
Thank you Bonnie. Turning 47 is not so bad after all.
Don't fret about growing older...
So I finally got back to the pool the other day after a 5 month hiatus of not swimming. My last swim was my Ironman Wisconsin 2.4 mile swim... Go figure...
I looked at the upcoming weather and we were suppose to hit below zero temperatures the next two days... That got me out the door! Knowing that it would be much 'warmer' if I swam that day vs. the next two days... So off I went.
But it wasn't my swim that made me want to write this blog post, it was this lady that I met that morning, and her name is Bonnie. I've seen Bonnie many many times at the gym, usually swimming in the pool. We've exchanged smiles in the past, but we've never spoken because she was either on the opposite side of the pool, me ending my swim and her starting hers, we just never had the opportunity to really cross paths, until that morning...
In between one of my swim sets, she started talking to me. Normally, I would just say hello, respond to what they say to me, and then just 'look' busy by looking at my watch or the clock, drink my water, and look like I'm about to get into my next set. I've also shortened my rest period in the past, just to hopefully send along the message that I don' have time to 'chat'...
But this time, I just wanted to be present and see what she had to say...
"Wow, you're really going for it today! You're a really good swimmer!" said Bonnie.
"Aw thank you!" I said. (Even though in the back of my mind, I'm really not a great swimmer. I can get by, I swim to get from point A to point B and just get it over with, without drowning. lol.)
I explained to Bonnie how I haven't been in the water since last September. She responded by saying, "Well, where have you been?! If you swim like that, you should be here all the time."
I smiled back at her and explained that I've just been too lazy to come to the pool, especially when it's so cold outside, but hoping to be better now... I then finished my last two sets of swim and we again, ended up on the same side of the pool.
We talked some more, and we both realized that we had so much in common! We love to sing, play guitar, she owns her own business as a counselor, shared with her that I am also a small business owner with my photography company... We both went to school in the health field, but currently not practicing what we went to school for - we had a laugh about that!
I learned that Bonnie was 81. I WISH I had taken a photo of her (but we did just meet, and I didn't want to be that creeper new friend asking for a photo. lol!) Bonnie did NOT look like she was 81! After complimenting her, she shared with me that the biggest thing in life is to BE CONSISTENT. "Doesn't matter what it is that you do, just be consistent," she said. Then she shared another quote that she said was her favorite, and it's actually one of mine too! Again, another thing in common between the two of us.
"A done something is better than a perfect nothing." I originally heard this quote from "Do it on a Dime" Youtube
After swimming, my normal routine is to jump in the sauna and then shower. Guess who I saw in the steam room!? So we shared a little more about ourselves and she asked me how old I was. I told her I was turning 47 soon. She couldn't believe it and said I looked really young for my age. :) Told her that I was actually having a hard time turning 47 for some reason. In my mind, I feel like it's just getting closer to 50... lol
Then she said something that I will never forget... Again, it's another quote.
"Do not fret about growing older because not everyone has the privilege to."
Ok so that stopped me in my tracks... WOW...
It's so CRAZY how the timing in our lives work! I haven't gone swimming in 5 months, I've seen Bonnie numerous times in the past, but we have never crossed paths... To be on the same side of the pool, at the same time, and exchange words... I'm so grateful that that happened!
We were destined to meet and share that day.
If I hadn't been present, and have gone on with my usual mentality of just keeping to myself and get in the water and get out ASAP, then I wouldn't have met an amazing and inspiring lady named Bonnie that day.
I hope to see Bonnie again and (hopefully more regularly with my swims), but even if I don't, she's already had made an impact in my life, even though we were only together for a short while.
Trust the timing of your life. Being more present is something that I've been working on more recently with my meditations... And I'm glad I was able to be present then...
Thank you Bonnie. Turning 47 is not so bad after all.