I was recently invited by the Kerr Family YMCA staff to participate in a water fitness class at their outdoor pool. In an effort to see and experience our organization in its entirety, I gladly accepted their invitation.
I was a bit hesitant that a water class would actually give me the workout I desire. My perception was that those classes are much easier than their indoor counterparts. And on top of my hesitation about the class difficulty level, I am a landlubber at heart. I can swim, but not well. And really, what 60-year-old wants to get in their bathing suit in front of a bunch of folks?
To challenge myself, I moved to the back of the class in deeper water. I figured I could do all the moves, tread and really get a good workout.
Dag gone! About 10 minutes in my heart rate was up and my upper body was feeling it!
There were about 50 people in the class, most of whom were older than me. Forty-seven were in the shallow end of the pool in front of me. Three were behind me. As the class progressed, I was very aware that the women with me in the deep end were hanging onto the side of the pool … chatting. They didn’t actually do one move that our instructor was leading.
As I aggressively pushed my water weights up and down and side to side, they discussed summer vacation and a new sushi restaurant that opened nearby.
At the end of class I was talking with Julie, Kerr’s wellness director who also took the class. I jokingly ratted on these women, “Julie, they really should not get credit for taking this class. They did not participate!”
Julie quickly reminded me that the Y is just as much about relationships and belonging as it is about physical exertion. She’s right.
If our Y is truly about spirit, mind and body, we must remember that a sense of connection is essential to overall well-being. Our role in helping folks build relationships is as critical, if not more critical, than a hard workout or helping a kid hit the bullseye on the archery target.
Sometimes strengthening the foundations of community is about breaking a sweat, but more often it’s about breaking through isolation. Just over half of Americans report feeling lonely. That’s not a small thing. In fact, the former U.S. Surgeon General called loneliness a public health crisis. So when three women choose to show up and spend 45 minutes talking through a fitness class, what they're really doing is showing up for each other. That matters.
Loneliness remains a national challenge, but at our Y, I know there are at least three members living the solution.
Whether it’s friendships formed in the lobby after swim lessons, support systems built in a chronic disease program or simply being greeted by name at the front desk, we should never underestimate the power of feeling seen, welcomed and connected.
