Remember that Bette Midler song from who-knows-when-ago, "Oh, Ya Gotta Have Fri-e-e-ends."Well, the idea behind the song is that friends get you through all kinds of life's situations. And it's really true. Things just don't seem as difficult or as bad when your friends are around. In fact, with the encouragement of their friends, folks can accomplish just about anything.
So, when our group graduated from the Efrat Women's Health Center first semester of Healthy Living, we went to Stage Two. We exercise together only once a week, and we were to meet together as a group only once a month.
We completed one month on the new schedule, and found that we really missed and really needed to spend more time together. In the past six months, we have become very attached to one another. And even though we are all very different, and our lives are very different, we feel very close to each other. We have spent six months journeying together, searching for the path to a healthier life, and we are tied to one another.
At the last group meeting that we had, we all agreed that in order to keep up with our healthier lifestyles, we need to spend more group time together - we need the support and encouragement of the others. Our nutritionist Judy Kizer and our social worker Alizah Shapiro looked at each other, and then at us, and said, "Okay! We'll have a group every other week."
Do you think it makes a difference? Yes, it does.
We feel better knowing we'll be sitting together every other week, instead of once a month. It's not as often as it was, but it's often enough to keep the connection going.
I'll keep you posted.
