"Free Your Mind"

Jeannine in the middle

At the time, I started taking Zumba classes I weighed in about 290 lbs. and was very out of shape. Not only was I physically out of shape but this was at the beginning of my self-transformation journey and so my mind was still full of negative thoughts and ideas.

One day while I was waiting with other ladies for Zumba class to start -- about the second week of taking the class (three tmes a week) I began chit chatting with two of the ladies who were regulars. One of them seemed to have such a cheery disposition while the other lady just kind of stared at me - it seemed like in disgust. The cheery disposition woman, Dotsy, Hawaiian descent - tall, curvy. The other lady was a white, blue-eyed, thin woman. Anyhow, since I had become a die hard Zumba fan I started to be around these women quite a bit. Just so happens that on another day I was joking and talking with them. Full of sass -- I said something like, soon I'll be tiny like her (white, blue-eyed, thin woman) and be able to expose my midriff too. She (blue-eyed, thin woman) said "No I want to be curvy like you." Huh? Really? So this wrecked my theory. I thought, Jeannine, was totally grossed out by me, by my fatness. Heck, my blackness. I had even deemed her as a stuck up little white woman. Ha ha.

Over time, I became even more friendly with the ladies and besides gyrating and shaking together we would go to coffee, lunch, etc. In talking to Jeannine more I found out that she is not white, not stuck up, she looks at me with great admiration (even called me her fitness hero), and thinks I'm beautiful. Wow! Talking about reading someone wrong.

Jeannine and I have become dear friends. She is a huge supporter of my blog -- supporter of me. She has come to my Stella & Dot jewelry party, Healthy Cooking class, and when I fractured my leg she took me to my first physical therapy appointment. Her sister passed away a few months ago she called me because she wanted me to go shopping with her. She said that I would boost her spirits like no one else could. We shopped, laughed, and enjoyed lunch together that day.

Rollin' in Tangerine Dream

I'm so glad the universe brought us together. And, more importantly thank goodness I let go of my negativity and opened up my heart to receive this gift, this beautiful friendship. Jeannine is a fit, colorful woman full of life and wisdom. I'm amazed at her great big heart - she doesn't kill ants instead she moves them back outside. I love you, Jeannine Adelina Grandjean!

I'm singing the EnVogue song from the early 90's

 "Free your mind and the rest will follow

Be color blind, don't be so shallow..."

**I only used race to show how narrow minded I was - not prejudice. Quite the opposite, but...you get where I'm going I hope.