Woke up this morning expecting to head to the slopes. Surprise! A steady downpour dampened my enthusiasm so my plans quickly changed. The day will not be a complete bust since our Geezer Skier group at Greek Peak will be meeting for an already scheduled lunch. Thankful for a great group of people in their senior years to socialize and ski with!
I am led to thinking about how group dynamics change as we age and as some of our companions depart for various reasons. Some that I would prefer not to mention. However, if we are a vital group we should be able to recruit new members.
In the vein of musing on socialization, I am reflecting on some of the encounters I have had on the ski lift rides this holiday week. At times I have been in the single mode approaching the lift and have had the good fortune to have random companions join me. I joke with my wife that I do 6 or 7 minute interviews as I ride with strangers to the top. Often an opener for those conversations comes when my companions see the 85+ sticker on my helmet. Yes, I have been a long time member of the 70+ club. A frequent reaction I get is how old are you? Well, I am not far from my 89th year and hoping for the day when I can put the 90+ sticker on my helmet. Probably the most interesting reaction I got this week was amazement from two of my riders and one saying I have to go home and tell my wife I was on the ski slope with an octogenarian. It is amazing how a senior skier can open doors to candid conversations where people reveal things that might come out in a session with a therapist. In conclusion, I am so happy to be entertained and informed by a wide spectrum of people I see in my daily sojourn on the slopes. We all have unique life stories and they should be appropriately shared for posterity.
