Wellness
Bonnie Bauer | Member , Wellness Committee , ARTA
Making Lifelong Friends
Having friends to do things with is a very important aspect to senior wellness . Over the years , I have been fortunate to have made many good friends that I cherish very much . I had the privilege of marrying one of my best friends from my youth . He still makes me laugh and continues to bring joy to my life every day .
University and the U of A Mixed Chorus brought many more lifelong friends into my life . After that came my teaching colleagues and then other parents . Bonding with other parents through our children ’ s activities and church families expanded our lives even further . Even though our children are now young adults with families of their own , the friendships we developed are still strong . Then came the new friends that I met through ARTA .
A group of three dear friends that I taught with bless my life continually . Three out of the four are retired . Each summer we get together at a family cabin . It is a fun-filled time playing cards , swimming , kayaking , and eating girl food ! Our homemade sushi stacks , salads , and margaritas are the best ! I think we are the only ones who can play cards almost nonstop for four days in a row . We each bring a themed prize to give to the one who wins the most games .
During spring break , we love to spend time at one of the dear ladies ’ snowbird home in Arizona .
We attend Silver Sneakers exercises , check out attractions , see movies , go bowling , and spend many hours on the back deck playing cards , swimming in the pool , and eating more delicious food .
Getting together also gives us a chance to catch up and pray for each other ’ s families over any concerns we might have . It is always nice to know you have a friend or a group of friends who are there for you . I hope this will encourage you to reach out to a friend and bless their life today as well as your own .
Bonnie Bauer lives just outside of Vermilion on an acreage with her husband , Stan . She is a busy grandma who is active in all her grandchildren ’ s lives but still takes time to enjoy and hang out with dear friends . news & views AUTUMN 2022 | 35