Practicing What I Preach

When I get restless, I tend to start poking around looking for something new to do.

It’s been both a curse and a blessing because sometimes I get entangled in things that I probably should have left alone.  However, since I like to look for the bright side of things, it’s more often than not at least an interesting experience.

This past winter I became rather listless and felt like I needed to crank things up a notch or two.  Inspired by Bridget’s success at finding new friends for social outings, I too went looking for like-minded individuals in my area.

I found an Over 55 seniors’ group which was active in outdoor activities.  Perfect!

While Helen was still wintering in Portugal, I went hiking with this group one cold day in February.  It was at a conservation area I had never been to and our group consisted of only 4 people – a perfect scenario.

Hiking at Cold Creek Conservation Area with Seniors For Nature Outdoor Club

Except it wasn’t.

I didn’t feel that sense of *bonding* I was looking for, and so I didn’t sign up for any more outings.  A few weeks ago however, I acknowledged that I hadn’t given this group a fair chance, and decided at the last minute to attend their upcoming monthly meeting.

I trudged out, somewhat reluctantly, in the pouring rain to an unfamiliar part of the city. A big part of my reluctance came from an expectation that this would be a small cliquish-kind of group who all knew each other, and I would feel like an outsider.

It wasn’t … and I didn’t.

Seating had been set up for at least a 100 people in the community centre where we met. Every seat was taken, and people were crowded along the sides and back of the room.

This should have been a nightmare scenario for me, but it turned out to be the opposite.

We each had name tags which included the year we had joined the group.  These people – mostly retired, some not – are ACTIVE, and this was a lively bunch.  Newbies like me were drawn into conversations and introduced to others who shared our interests.

It was one of the most welcoming environments I’ve ever experienced as a newcomer.

I learned this group had started about 20 years ago, was incorporated as a non-profit with a formal Constitution and an operating Board of Directors.  It turns out I was sitting with the President of this seniors club and she was a spitfire.  At 80 years old, she had gone downhill skiing this past winter for the first time.

It was at this point that I knew I had found ‘my people‘.

She encouraged me to join their executive team in one of their vacant positions … and so in a moment of blind faith, I jumped in with both feet.  I am now the new Secretary of the Seniors For Nature Outdoor Club.  The name is a bit of a mouthful, but what’s in a name anyway?

I’m not sure exactly what I’ve gotten myself into this time, but I do expect, if nothing else, it will be interesting.

Cycling last week with the seniors club