Day 2: Fun At The Rec Center

Went swimming at the Rec Center with the kids last night. We started off walking on the track. I walked one mile - VERY discouraging when I think about having to walk 3 miles in August. But! I've got to start somewhere, right? 6 times around the track = 1 mile. If I add one lap every other day, I can start working on incline walking. That will be good!
After the walk, we hit the pool. I've just started swimming again, too. Can I just say - I LOVE the water! I don't have to worry about keeping my balance or stubbing my toes. No little kids are staring at my crutches. Nobody is asking me "what's wrong?" Under the water, no one can even TELL that my legs are 'different'.
Right now, I can do 800 meters. Sure sounds like a lot, but it's only 1/2 a mile. I tried swimming laps last night, but there were SO many people there! So, I ended up doing push-ups on the side of the pool (under the lifeguard station! LOL) and then just holding onto the side and kicking my legs.
I did spend some time in the jacuzzi after that. There was a group of guys there, and each had some kind of mental something going on. They were accompanied by a couple of counselor/caregiver-type people.
So I sat down in the jacuzzi next to one of the guys. He looked over at me, and his eyes got REALLY wide! Then he sucked in his breath, and was biting down on his lips. Poor guy looked like he was going to pop! LOL Then he kept looking over at me and giggling. It was SO cute! I was crackin' up!
Now, I'm not pretty. Heck, by today's standards, I'm not even CUTE! So, to be flattered that I had caused that kind of reaction from someone seems a little anti-climactic. But, it happened, and it was fun for me. Even more meaningful was that it came from someone like that. "Normal" guys have social rules to live by. They've been taught how/what/when to say the perfect thing to a girl. Kind of sad, actually. People spend so much time trying to look good, that it takes that much longer to get to know them.
But, someone with mental issues oftentimes doesn't have those boundaries. They say/do whatever comes to mind. Well, ok - except when they're nervous, I guess! LOL (Maybe being nervous around someone of the opposite sex is an instinct kind of thing, instead of something that's taught?) But, one gets to hear them at 100%, and it's a beautiful thing.
I'm grateful for that experience, because he made me FEEL pretty, and I needed that last night.