Aging gracefully is an art,
Aging disgracefully is an
Absolute Blast!

— Unknown

Here is a statement for your imagination: Can you imagine sixteen, mid-life women, who don’t know each other, traveling from all corners of the United States, living together, and coordinating meals and activities for five days? What kinds of visuals come to mind?

The location was Palm Springs, California. In the last week of February 2024.

A proposed gathering of Girl Friends whose only connection was one person.

Would you say yes to this invitation, opportunity, adventure?

I did.

Our common ground was that each of us knew the hostess. We came from all phases of her life…. grade school, college, sorority, first job, different geographic moves, career buddies, and neighborhood friends. It was an incredible mix of diversity and talent.

Though you might not think of me as being shy, when it comes to joining new groups, I am. Especially when I don’t have a role to play. As I packed for the event, I thought about not going several times. There is still a ‘little girl’ in this woman’s body that questions: “Will I be liked? Will I like someone?”

(Recently, a friend told me about a new book entitled ‘Worthy’. Now I must read it because it differentiates between self-confidence and a sense of worth. This somehow relates to my hesitation to attend events with individuals whom I don’t know. I will share more with you after reading the book.)

My first core value is inclusion. I get anxious about group behavior that is judgmental, competitive, and exclusionary. I need not have worried.

Though each woman was very different in personality style and life experience, every individual made an effort to get to know every other woman. We connected first on how we knew our hostess, then on how our paths might have crossed in our lives, and finally on the experiences we each had in our lives that might have been shared, like marriage, not marrying, raising children, raising dogs, caring for our parents, navigating careers, and entering retirement.

The conversation was rich, generous, and kind. At no time did we gossip or raise a conflict.

Instead, each woman was asked to bring a talent to incorporate into our schedule. Several led the water aerobics, another led the morning walk, there were crafts to do and facials to be shared. We collaborated on organizing breakfast and lunch, and we were treated to a chef’s dinner each night.

The hostess’s objective for this ‘out of the box’ experience was that she wanted the ‘girlfriends’ of her lifetime to get to know each other.

And we did. It was glorious. Interestingly, we didn’t ask about each other’s careers until day three.

I rarely turned on my laptop. I used my phone mostly for taking pictures, luxuriated in the sunshine and friendship, and renewed my spirit.

There was something for everyone: walks, games, dancing and singing, kitchen duty and cooking…bike rides, touring, golfing, and rich conversation.

We were responsible for ourselves and caring for each other.

I discovered…

• I can enter a group of strangers and find common ground.
• I get very quiet and can’t talk while I do crafts. (Take note.)
• There are very cool people to meet in this world of ours.
• Exercise, good nutrition, laughter and companionship are good foundations for life.
• It is good to leave your environment for a new location and different schedule.
• I think I want to do more of this.

I returned to my home in Cleveland rested and inspired. Even though I encountered big storms and ended my trip renting a car driving through the night to arrive home with my luggage following me 24 hours later, I was ready and eager to jump back into my world.

I have a positive hangover.

I like who I have grown into being, and I really like meeting new people.

• Are you ready to change it up and jump into a change of venue with new people?

May 2024 bring positive opportunities to you.

Leslie

“Peculiar travel suggestions
Are dancing lessons from God.”

— Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.