Always Getting Better
Laura Olinger, Founder of Vintage Moves
It was my privilege and honor to teach a notable elder for several years in Warm Water Fitness at East Boulder Community Center. Dick Larson lived 2 weeks past his 99th birthday, and was walking the halls of his independent living apartment building the afternoon before he passed in his sleep.
We celebrated Dick’s 96th birthday by having the entire class of elders with various compromises in health and mobility, do 96 jumping jacks in the warm water pool. We built our exercise repetitions for 4-6 weeks to prepare the entire class, and it was an EVENT! The ladies showed up in their favorite suits, makeup and hair done to perfection. We videotaped it, Dick loved it and he shared the video far and wide.
Dick was a regular, rarely missing his 2 classes/week, and never showing up on Fridays when he taught a ballroom dancing class. At some point earlier in his life he had been the Dance Director on a cruise ship, and his eyes twinkled when he talked about it.
Sometimes Dick would miss classes for a few weeks to go to his condo in Hawaii, usually accompanied by his daughter or sons. Sometime between his 96th and 98th birthdays, we didn’t see Dick for what seemed like a long time. Upon his return we greeted him with enthusiasm, learned he’d been in Hawaii and breathed a small sigh of relief. On one of his laps around the lazy river I inquired, “Dick, how are you?” And with a rather down-turned expression and voice he said, “Awww, I’m getting better.” Which caught me off-guard. On the next lap I inquired, “Dick, have you been sick?” To which he grinned, cut a sideways glance, and quipped, “Nawwwww, I’m always getting better!” He played it perfectly, chuckled at my reaction and in that moment confirmed something I felt deeply.
He was the living example of everything I want for the participants in Vintage Moves — putting in the effort to keep his body fit and strong, participating in classes that challenged his brain, moving and exercising outside in the courtyard of his apartment building following morning exercise class, lunch and a nap, determined to perfect every new move I introduced, a great sense of humor, many rich relationships with friends and family, and genuinely enjoying life.
Dick certainly found his “vintage moves” — the exercises, experiences, frame of mind, health regimens, supporting others, dancing — that maintained his health, spirit and vitality for life that had his experience be “always getting better.”
Your vintage moves are the “moves that will keep you moving” and that can be ANYTHING that supports living your most wonderful, blissful, successful, fantastic life.
What are your Vintage Moves?