A group you wouldn't usually put together

For the past year, every Wednesday from 10:30am-12pm, Elsie has attended tumbling and dance. Since she started out a bit nervous, I'd stay at the studio during the class. It wasn't convenient, and I could have thought of a lot of things I could do for one and a half hours, but I was there. Come to find out, I really enjoyed it. 

Now the music was good and the kids dancing was just about the cutest thing around. However, it was the other parents (or grandparents) who had to stay with nervous kiddos who made it extra special. There was a group of us, usually three, and sometimes four, who really got to know each other well. Heck, we had 1.5 hours to talk, so we really had some good conversations. In all truth, I looked forward to my visits with these individuals on a weekly basis.

In this group, there were two grandmothers, a younger dad, and me. We talked about everything from the desire to drive fast, the problem with social media, how much food I should order for the PTA meeting I was bringing lunch to, how old to let your kids walk with friends to the 7-11, how the culture around mental health has changed, planning vacations, remodeling houses, getting along with new family members, what snacks are good for teens, what restaurants are worthy of five stars, the grieving process, the real estate market, extracurricular reading programs. I really came to know these individuals, their life situations, their sorrows, their joys. As I came to know each of them, I was in awe of what they had done, what they were going through, how they flexed, adapted, survived. I really got to know these people. We really listened to each other. We gave advice, we laughed. 

Dance just finished. On the last day, I said goodbye to these individuals, each amazing in their own way. I was going to miss them, dang it! It was hard to say goodbye. I was sad there wasn't a way to keep us together, having weekly conversations. I pictured a lunch group, a text string, a Marco Polo. Truth is, they have their own busy lives with lots of moving parts and I fear we wouldn't be able to keep up. Still, I was so very thankful for the time I got to spend with them and the 90 minute snippets where we got to connect. It was cool, especially since each of us could have looked at our phones every week but instead, we chose to notice one another and make connections.

Maybe I'll send a yearly Christmas card.