Gym Grandma

 One of the fringe benefits of going to the gym is the inspiring people I meet. It is the “Silver Sneakers,” Senior Citizens, who inspire me the most. They are retired and yet they choose to get up early and start their day with exercise. First of all, I am amazed that they are at the gym at 5:30 am. (When I retire, I plan on killing the proverbial rooster, enjoying a meal of grilled chicken, and sleeping in later!)

The gym has a short indoor track. There is a group of “Three Amigos” who meet every morning to walk and talk. Another consistent member is a short, petite lady, who wears 5K race t-shirts and faithfully works out on the Nautilus circuit. I would guess that she is in her late 60’s. Wednesday, I worked out next to her, and she lowered the seat on the equipment so her legs could touch the floor. The posse of three grandpas snuck in while she set the weights, readjusted the seat higher, winked at me, and slowly slunk away. They of course had a good laugh when she tried to sit down. (Gentlemen friends, I recommend that you write that down in case later in life you have the need to flirt with the pretty grandma at the gym!) She and I had a nice girl talk about how little boys mature from pigtail pulling to seat adjusting. Later, she talked to one of the guys as he took his blood pressure. (See – the flirting worked!) She said that she had her health evaluation the day before, and they set her health age at 76. He exclaimed that this have to be wrong because she was so strong and fit. She laughed and said she was thrilled considering she is 92. I was shocked! I am pretty sure that the pretty grandma would be robbing the cradle if she ended up with the amigo. She is my new hero.

In the pool last night, the twenty-something instructor announced it was my birthday and told everyone I was turning 21. Truth be told, I wouldn’t trade one minute of 52 to start over. I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way, but they are part of who I am. Some of those mistakes manifested themselves into fat, but it’s rewarding to see it melt away and be replaced with the muscle of good health choices. Gym Grandma has 40 more years of life experience than I do, and she is the perfect visual aid for what morning gym trips will bring. So on my birthday, I raise my glass of water high and toast the passing of another year in the rearview mirror and commit to working hard to make my rear view a much nicer one to look at for the 55 year-old-man I love.