multi-aged

I had just finished munching on some broccoli and chicken at Beacon when Laurence stopped by to say hi and get in a little row.  Right before I had to go coach class, I turned to him and asked:
"Do I have food in my teeth?"
"Probably. I don't have my glasses on."
Thanks, darlin', thanks.
 
There are benefits to hanging around with people my own age.  None of us can see well, our hearing is not what it used to be, and we really don't give a shit about as much as we used to. There's a lot of bliss at our age. 

It's equally good to hang around with younger people. They can see. They can hear a whole lot more. And because they haven't yet learned that all the little shit they worry about is not that important in the big scheme of things, not much gets by them. They tend to keep you on your toes.

Hanging around a wide variety of people, of course, is the best.
I was once told by a very close friend who was older that I am that it's important to have a multi-aged group of friends and acquaintances.  She was saying it from the perspective of her advanced age:
"If you have younger friends, then when all your older friends start dying, you'll still have friends around you."
Good argument. :)

Before beginning CrossFit, most of my friends were within my age bracket.
CrossFit automatically brings people of all ages into your life. It's one of the aspects of it that I think I appreciate the most.  Walk through the door of any CrossFit and your age, occupation, gender, and, sooner-rather-than-later-or-you-don't-last, your ego are left outside your gym.  What then happens is a bunch of human beings who all happen to have the same fitness focus connect with each other through sweat, laughter, hard work, and shared goals.

This then turns into friendships and deeper relationships than is usual when you are out of college and in the work world.  Meeting people of all ages who become friends is an added gift of CrossFit...camaraderie though classes and then the gab sessions afterward. The younger learn from the older, the older learn from the younger. By the time the outside lives start becoming part of the conversations, there are no barriers, just people being with people. Glorious.

CrossFit enhanced my world by making it broader and richer than it was, in large part because of the multi-aged group of fun fitness freaks!

After Laurence left and before I headed to the upper gym to coach, I took a quick look in the bathroom mirror to make sure I didn't have broccoli hanging out of my teeth. I was, after all, about to enter a room with some younger people who could see broccoli in my teeth from the other side of the gym! 

I'll always give a shit about food in my teeth, even if I live with a man who can't see it.