YOU JUST NEVER KNOW

        

  Yesterday I went to my exercise class, having skipped Monday to sleep in late. I asked about a classmate who had a stroke a month or so ago only to hear that she passed away last Thursday. First, the fact she had a stroke came as a shock, but that she’d died was an even bigger one. Here’s why.

          This woman began fitness classes a couple of years ago and went on to become a certified instructor who would take our regular instructor’s place when she had to be gone. She didn’t work us as hard as the regular instructor, but we moved and worked as much as we wanted. She’d also been, and maybe still was, a practicing ballet student/dancer.

          Not only did she become an instructor, she began to come in to our class early. When those of us who arrived later, we'd find the chairs all set up and the sign-in sheet ready. I don’t think any of us truly appreciated how much this lady did until we had to go back to moving the chairs and setting everything up. It’s not fun to have to do that before you begin to exercise.

          In addition to appearing to be in excellent physical shape, this fellow exerciser went above and beyond the regular program by stretching and walking and doing other workout drills before class even began. She was also small, seemed to be physically fit and have muscles.

          To say the fact my classmate/instructor had a stroke came as a huge surprise would be a gross understatement. I would not have thought this woman would be a candidate for something like that ever. If anything, and if I had given it any thought, I would have assumed that I’d be heading for the pearly gates long before she did.

          To say the fact that she died last week without ever regaining consciousness was a shock yesterday would also be a huge understatement. I’m still trying to comprehend the information. I also guess this was or is a lesson about how one never knows when one’s turn might arrive.