Tai chi and me

When my father was in his 80s and having trouble with his balance, his doctor sent him to a tai chi class. Dad returned shaking his head about the silliness of moving so slowly. He would have rather been on the tennis court or taking a brisk walk.

He never went back.

Gee, I wonder where I get some of my preferences.

Yesterday I played tennis again. My shots have come back pretty quickly, but I'm not really moving. I think I'm afraid to.

Susan, one of my physical therapists, had recommended tai chi for balance, and it took me a while to go, but I finally went yesterday, a little skeptical like my father was.

Susan leads the class once a week at the Chicopee Senior Center. Senior Center? I wondered about that. But it was OK. I joined four other people in going through a variety of moves. It was a mix of senior citizens and people like me. The slowness of the movement is a good challenge for me, plus there were some movements that specifically involved balance.

No, it's not as much fun as playing tennis, but I think I'll go back.