Losing Healing Waters

The news came with a thud. The Evan's Plunge is closing for six months! I was stunned, to say the least. I love the natural mineral waters of our health club. Whenever I swim or attend water aerobics I feel renewed and ready to face the day. We have a long winter ahead and the core of my exercises are those healing waters, the steam room and sauna. We have a peaceful river walk that runs through the heart of town, but it can't compare to the large pool constantly refilled with warm spring waters during the raw, icy days of winter. It was especially important to me this year in helping me recover from surgeries.

What about the other members of the Plunge who faithfully work out in the pool, and who cannot do any other exercise because of their physical ailments? They must be more troubled than I am. Hopefully they have a more positive outlook than I have at this time.

There is also the social aspect of regular attendance. Many issues of the day, large and small, are hashed over in the coziness of the hot tub or sauna. Those interactions may be as important as the restorative physical benefits.

I think about the larger issues of this world to help me put this in perspective. The economy is struggling, unemployment is high world wide and our poor little community has been hit hard.  It is not economically feasable to keep places open when attendance is low. Some of our businesses have closed permanently. It is sad to see so many "for sale" signs in this beautiful town filled with historic sandstone buildings. And now we will have more unemployed people for the next six months.

"People are starving", my mother used to say to me when I was feeling sorry for myself as a child. I know, I know. I knew it then and I know it now, but for this moment I am rolling around in my misery. I think I will watch the news or visit a nursing home to help me put this grievance in its proper place, but for now I am thinking, "It is going to be a long, cold winter."