More on the meetings...
I have mentioned more than once in my blog that I attend Weight Watchers meetings on Saturday mornings at 9 a.m. Let me explain why that information is so important...
I recently realized that I am an atheist. While I was very active in my church growing up, I never really enjoyed the actual church services and it took me FOREVER to get through the "confirmation class." I liked the social aspect of the church, but not the actual theology I guess. I now realize that the reason I never enjoyed it is because I didn't believe in it. Those of you who know me know that I am a scientist. I have a degree in environmental studies, I am good with numbers, and I have always had a fascination with nature and the sciences. That is just how my mind works. I think that someone who is truly scientifically/mathematically oriented tends to think more in terms of logic and to me there is no logic to religion. HOWEVER I DO believe in fate and I think it was FATE that brought me to that meeting...
I have always been a loner. I have never had any really close friends. Casual friends have come in and out of my life but even today, while I have more close friendships than ever before, there is no one who I would call a "best friend." So I am always looking for a place where I belong. Where I fit in. Where I feel normal. I found it in this meeting. These people - the members and the leader - are the most amazing people I have ever met. We all care so much about each other even though we hardly know each other. When we leave that meeting we are all living very different lives and may never interact with each other in any way but in that 30-45 minutes every week we are like a family.
I never make an effort to reach out to others and form friendships - guess I have been hurt too many times or I just don't know how to form relationships with people. But so many of the people there have reached out to me - to comfort me when I looked upset, to congratulate me, to get my advice on how they can be successful. Just a couple of weeks ago one of the members started to get into her car then stopped and came over to my car to talk to me because she thought I had looked upset. I can't tell you how wonderful it makes me feel to know that these people - who are essentially strangers - care about me - and each other - so much...
I really don't know if I would have ever been able to accomplish what I have today if I had not found the place where I truly belong...