By my fifth week of volunteering, I had mastered my routine. I would wake up, get ready, grab a blueberry muffin from the bakery on campus, and head to the meeting spot. Once I arrived at the volunteer facility, I would put on my nametag, walk down the long corridor, and head to the elevator.
One can imagine the bit of surprise that followed me when I could not find my Buddy once I arrived at the second floor. She was not at her usual spot at the table, nor was she in her apartment. Where on Earth was she?
I glanced around the room and finally spotted her: she was on the couch following an aerobics workout video. My Buddy had often talked about being active, mentioning multiple outdoor walks a day and retelling stories of her running days. Over our time together she had proved that she was both young at heart and in spirit.
“Good morning! How’s the workout going?” I asked
My Buddy looked up and smiled as she replied.
“Great! I’m just exercising this morning. He’s making me do some tough moves!”
The ‘He’ in question was the workout video leader, who seemed to be a cheerful and compassionate man, constantly throwing in encouraging words throughout the workout.
“Nice! Mind if I join?”
“Not at all!”
I sat next to her on the plush, green couch and began to replicate the move that was being displayed on the television.
We continued to do marches, air punches, and even some stretching- forming our arms into loose reproductions of the iconic St. Louis arch.
“Hey! Our arms kind of look like the Arch!” I noted.
My Buddy laughed “They do!”
Before I knew it, we had entered the last ten minutes of the workout, which the instructor denoted as the “Cooldown” time. I looked over as we began and noticed that one of the nurses had joined us in our aerobics.
I never would have thought that an aerobics class could bring so many different people together but was glad to participate as both my Buddy and the nurse seemed to be having a great time.
Making replicas of the St. Louis arch with my arms seems a little senseless at first glance, but following an aerobics video in the grateful company of my Buddy had proven how showing up can make a huge difference. My Buddy is always happy when I arrive, but engaging in an activity that she truly enjoys has taught me that my presence can really make a positive impact- whether I realize it or not.