Full Body Workout.

Disclaimer: If you are over 60 years of age, this post will probably offend you, unless you read it with a smile on your face. Literally.

Yesterday, as I was speaking to a group of older women, I was beginning to get nervous. They say something like 70% of communication is through non-verbals, such as body language, and I was getting no response. Nothing. No smiles, no head nods, no open postures- nada. After a brief introduction, I tentatively asked who wanted to volunteer in childcare. Again, nothing. All of these thoughts began running through my head like 'oh no, these women came all the way from Arkansas and none of them like little children...is it even okay for them to lift children? am I going to seriously injure one of them?...are they going to be mean to the kids?...what if a baby spits up on her pretty green jacket? is she going to hate me?...' and I began to panic.

At the end of the day, I brought them all downstairs to sort of "de-brief" their first day. I asked if anyone had any questions, and once again...I was met with blank stares. Then one lady spoke up and said, "Well, I just want to say how impressed I am with ya'lls school. I just had the most wonderful day!" And then all at once all 10 ladies chimed in, talking about what they did and who they spoke with and what they enjoyed the most. I couldn't believe it!

I don't know about anyone else, but when I was little, I thought old people were scary and mean. But I think I discovered something this week that explains a lot about old people. And it has to do with anatomy and kinesiology. You would think that during the countless hours I spent studying these subjects in college that I would have gotten this before now, but it just came to me.

Muscle tone. I think that old people have lost so much muscle tone in their facial muscles that even when they think they are making no facial expression at all, they are actually frowning. Add wrinkles- you have yourself a furrowed brow and are well on your way to a scowl! Not only does your face now tend to make an actual scowl, it takes more energy to get those facial muscles to flex, so it might even be laborious to crack a smile.

I don't know about you, but I'm going to try my best to keep those facial muscles in shape well into my 70s. I'm also speaking to another group of older ladies in two weeks, so I will try to keep this in mind and hopefully not get so nervous.