One More Time
Saturday morning, at Pilates of all places, we got into a bit of a heated discussion (as heated as you can get while working on the Reformers) about the basic nature of people. Our wonderful instructor had to intervene to keep us moving along and I still came away feeling a bit disquieted.
Here’s what happened.
Let me preface by saying I was excited when I walked into the studio because some Pilates Peeps who I hadn't seen in a couple months were there. They’re at least 20 if not 30+ years younger than me. They tell great stories about life in general, their work and travel lives. I enjoy that richness during Reformer routines.
Anyhow, one of my Pilates friends told about exercising at another studio where the women were being bitchy to each other. Which led to everyone sans moi agreeing that people just are not nice.
I don’t believe that.
I think that people’s basic human nature is to be nice.
They disagreed.
We got into a tiny row, then the instructor told us we had to do Pilates because that’s what we were paying for.
I have had the great fortune this first year of retirement to learn many things. Everything solidifies, for me, into this:
In general, people are nice. I’ve written about this repeatedly but I think it bears pounding in. People. Are. Nice. Beginning with you. If you choose not to be nice, let it not surprise you when others reciprocate with whatever emotion you have put out there. Also let it not surprise you when you are nice if not everyone is in return. That's how it goes and it doesn't, in my opinion, for one second, let you off the hook for continuing to be nice.
I almost let it go when my Pilates Peeps's voices rose in harmony regarding human nature. That would have been the easiest route and sure would have made teaching a lot easier for our instructor. We did ease into feet in straps as we continued the chatter, then let it die away until a brief revisit at the end of class where we kinda agreed to disagree and then told each other, as we always to, do have a nice week and Merry Christmas because we might not see each other before then.
I'm both bold and egotistical enough to believe that my voice should be heard when I hold a different opinion. Because I resolutely believe that those disparate voices, wherever and whenever they are raised, are the cornerstone of democracy. We will continue to share stories at Pilates. I don't think any less of my Peeps and I trust they don't think any less of me. We simply had a difference of opinion and it was on a topic I felt compelled to speak up about. Should we not all be doing that, in the spirit of respect and kindness?
You know, it is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
Cooking:
Yesterday my grandchildren Millie and Ethan and their mom, my daughter in law, Kitty, came over and we baked cookies. Feeling rather crafty, I separated the various cookie decorations into individual bowls and put spoons in them so the kids could more easily manage decorating the cookies.
Feeling even craftier, 3 year old Ethan proceeded to combine all the various cookie decorations into one bowl.
It actually came in handy when we were decorating the sugar cookies. We removed the top layers of butterscotch and chocolate chips, as well as cinnamon imperials and chocolate stars, to reveal that all those sugars and little tiny beady things had merged together, making it decidedly easier to scoop up and onto the ready for the oven cut-outs. So nice work, E.
This marked the first year that my Spritz came out of the cookie press as God intended them to come out. Every year I have made a mess of it. I get frustrated but, like Charlie Brown kicking the football Lucy holds, return with high hopes. Plus I love Spritz. That's probably the true motivator. Anyway, woo hoo! Here's the recipe I used. I added 2 tsp of almond extract because I love that flavoring; as you will see in the recipe, it's not called for but if you, too, are an aficionado, add away. They turned out great.
Here’s what happened.
Let me preface by saying I was excited when I walked into the studio because some Pilates Peeps who I hadn't seen in a couple months were there. They’re at least 20 if not 30+ years younger than me. They tell great stories about life in general, their work and travel lives. I enjoy that richness during Reformer routines.
Anyhow, one of my Pilates friends told about exercising at another studio where the women were being bitchy to each other. Which led to everyone sans moi agreeing that people just are not nice.
I don’t believe that.
I think that people’s basic human nature is to be nice.
They disagreed.
We got into a tiny row, then the instructor told us we had to do Pilates because that’s what we were paying for.
I have had the great fortune this first year of retirement to learn many things. Everything solidifies, for me, into this:
In general, people are nice. I’ve written about this repeatedly but I think it bears pounding in. People. Are. Nice. Beginning with you. If you choose not to be nice, let it not surprise you when others reciprocate with whatever emotion you have put out there. Also let it not surprise you when you are nice if not everyone is in return. That's how it goes and it doesn't, in my opinion, for one second, let you off the hook for continuing to be nice.
I almost let it go when my Pilates Peeps's voices rose in harmony regarding human nature. That would have been the easiest route and sure would have made teaching a lot easier for our instructor. We did ease into feet in straps as we continued the chatter, then let it die away until a brief revisit at the end of class where we kinda agreed to disagree and then told each other, as we always to, do have a nice week and Merry Christmas because we might not see each other before then.
I'm both bold and egotistical enough to believe that my voice should be heard when I hold a different opinion. Because I resolutely believe that those disparate voices, wherever and whenever they are raised, are the cornerstone of democracy. We will continue to share stories at Pilates. I don't think any less of my Peeps and I trust they don't think any less of me. We simply had a difference of opinion and it was on a topic I felt compelled to speak up about. Should we not all be doing that, in the spirit of respect and kindness?
You know, it is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
Cooking:
Yesterday my grandchildren Millie and Ethan and their mom, my daughter in law, Kitty, came over and we baked cookies. Feeling rather crafty, I separated the various cookie decorations into individual bowls and put spoons in them so the kids could more easily manage decorating the cookies.
Feeling even craftier, 3 year old Ethan proceeded to combine all the various cookie decorations into one bowl.
It actually came in handy when we were decorating the sugar cookies. We removed the top layers of butterscotch and chocolate chips, as well as cinnamon imperials and chocolate stars, to reveal that all those sugars and little tiny beady things had merged together, making it decidedly easier to scoop up and onto the ready for the oven cut-outs. So nice work, E.
This marked the first year that my Spritz came out of the cookie press as God intended them to come out. Every year I have made a mess of it. I get frustrated but, like Charlie Brown kicking the football Lucy holds, return with high hopes. Plus I love Spritz. That's probably the true motivator. Anyway, woo hoo! Here's the recipe I used. I added 2 tsp of almond extract because I love that flavoring; as you will see in the recipe, it's not called for but if you, too, are an aficionado, add away. They turned out great.
Comments
Post a Comment