Holler if you're cool
The other week I went swimming at the Touhy Xsport. I don’t usually go to that one, I’m a bit of a wimp and the water is a little cooler than I like.
That Wednesday it was a lot cooler, though. Egads!
You know when you jump in and wish you hadn’t just done that? Oh please can I just crawl out now with my tail between my legs and go hang out in the hot tub instead of exercise?
But, oh no, I have to hide the wimp-within and go forth with a stoic expression.
Be strong.
Do what you got to do. Don’t show any emotion or weakness. You gonna exercise? Well this is it, cupcake, get out there and exercise.
I know I’ll get the feeling back in my legs, eventually.
I’m pretty sure. Of course, I did. Eventually.
After about 4-5 laps.
Not so bad after all. Really.
And then, as I’m coming up to the wall again I hear an almighty holler.
An older lady had just jumped in and SHE wasn’t having any stoic BS with her reaction.
“Ow-oooo! It’s CO…ooOOooLD!” With appropriate splashing and laughing.
And I keep swimming, though I’m a little lopsided as it’s hard to swim-breath-and-laugh.
That was COOL.
She was so loud and bugger what anyone else thought.
Her reaction was all real and refreshing and fun.
Who cares about saving face? It’s freaking cold.
And screw this “proper behavior” business. Being short, over seventy, and female does not mean you have to be crippled by “Little Old Lady” behavior.
Some of us have a sort of spiritual-allergic-reaction to being tidied up into nice categories.
If you’re going to get tidied up into a box, at least make it loud. Yes, I’m talking caskets and urns, now.
Have a good rant. Be colorful.
Show those whippersnappers that you’ve lived your life for real, and leave the rest of us with some rebellion to grin about.
Give me a call to talk about loud and proud boxes. It’s a strangely wonderful feeling to be at a funeral that is true. Where you can laugh at the kookiness and joy of your person as well as cry for missing their story carrying on in the world.
We set the stage, and it doesn’t have to be stoic. A nice loud holler in the face of tidy bureaucracy does everyone a world of good.
Gimme a yell,
- Paula
