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Old Ladies
in Pools
By Edna Heard
Up into my 30s and 40s, I felt as possible. Every few steps, I stopped and and living many other dreams that had
comfortable putting on a splashed water on my chest, the way my been put on hold throughout our lives.
swimsuit, but that started to mother used to do and the way I swore I
change as time marched on. QHYHUZRXOG7KHÀYHVWUDQJHUVLQWKHSRRO 2XUSDUHQWVGLGQ·WKDYHWKHEHQHÀWRI
Everything headed south. My near-per- were old, wrinkled and for the most part modern medicine and technology. As a
fect body began to sag and drag. My exte- overweight with varicose veins, liver spots, result we are living considerably longer
rior still looked good, and clothes covered ZULQNOHGFKHVWVÁRSS\XSSHUDUPVDQG than they did. My grandmother was just
a multitude of sins and second helpings. cellulite thighs. It was comforting to notice 70 when she died. I remember her as a
I had lots of energy, not as much but still that they all looked like me. The men had frail, old lady. Now my 70-year-old friends
enough to get me through the gym and nose and ear hairs. (I do too, but I cut are swimming, dancing, playing golf and
chores. It wasn’t until I was in my early them. I’m not growing them out to make a tennis. My son does remember me as
60s that I started to notice obvious signs comb-over either!) Being an octogenarian young and pretty, but it’s more important
of wear and tear on my body. It seemed I granted me automatic membership into now that he remembers the old, actively
was losing my battle with gravity which this circle of friendly strangers. involved and happy woman I am now.
was pulling me closer to my feet. While
I had been focusing on gray hairs and I worked my way to the edge of the circle, Surgeries, wrinkles, pains and low energy
wrinkles, my left foot had developed nail and in typical Sun City fashion, I was are the rent we pay for the privilege of
fungus, signaling the end of sexy sandals. warmly included. Even before I could longevity. Fortunately spunk, zest and
This made me sad as summer had always VSHDNWKHFRQYHUVDWLRQZDVÁRZLQJ, determination are free.
meant sexy sandals and enjoying the cool learned more than I ever wanted to know
breeze on my feet. What was left for me? about stents, enlarged prostates, angina, We can still have perky boobs. I think
)UXPS\ÁDWVDQGODFHGRUWKRSHGLFV³DO- RVWHRSRURVLVGHPHQWLDDWULDOÀEULOODWLRQ hanging upside down from a trapeze
most too painful to think about. arthritis, hip and knee replacements, should do the trick – Will I try it? Prob-
back pain, epidurals and – God help me ably not. They’re not that important now,
Gravity and time also worked over my – incontinence. unless George Clooney comes to visit.
once perky boobs. I could now tuck them
into the elastic waistband of my sweat- :KHQZHÀQDOO\GLVEDQGHG,ZDVVXU-
pants which managed them far more ef- prised to realize that rather than feel-
fectively than my sports bra. And saddest ing depressed, the spirit in the group
of all, my face had begun to resemble that had lifted me. Most of us were suffering
of a Shar-Pei’s. Note: wrinkles are ador- from one ailment or another, but we were
able on puppies, not so much on me. determined to enjoy this period of our
lives. We were all doing the things we
But I loved the water and wanted to use promised ourselves we would do once the
the Sun City pool, so off I went. I made my children were grown. We were retired,
way through the water toward an animated traveling, painting, writing, learning to
group of my peers. I walked on my tippy- play a musical instrument, learning a
toes, trying to avoid the cold water as long foreign language, going back to school
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