My Fun Group
I find Joy and Fun in My Fun Group.
I enjoy the most adventurous rides in My Fun Group.
I celebrate all festivals and birthdays in My Fun Group.
I feel proud to be a part of a small group at the church, which I lovingly call My Fun Group. The people in the group are delightful and have a youthful spirit. We all stay physically and mentally active, embracing life with sharp minds and looking at things with open hearts. Everyone in the group gives off good vibes of joy, fun, smiles and love.
I attribute my opportunity to join this group of amazing people to my empty retirement life.
My empty retirement life
After my retirement in the first year, boredom came knocking at my door. From then onward, tediousness filled my everyday life. In addition to that, loneliness was the biggest problem for me because many of my friends had gone to heaven with Jesus. Moreover, I found it hard to accept the switch from a diligent man to an unemployed. That urged me to find a new definition for myself as a jobless man — a retiree. Retired life became uninteresting, and the days dragged on.
I rejoiced in meeting some old homeboys at the nearby café to chat about stories of the good old days. However, my unshaven face and masculine body odor weakened our close friendship. My buddies refused to sit near me. They did not want to come to an untidy man’s birthday. So I had to celebrate my birthday by myself with a cupcake.
To better myself, I watched my body hygiene and appearance. I also wanted to change my lifestyle. So I started looking for something that could challenge me and excite my life. I needed new friends. I needed a clear objective that could keep me moving ahead in my life. I decided to join a small group in which I could find activities that would bring change to me.
It was God’s will for me to meet Eric on an unusual occasion, and let me join the group.
Destiny drew me to My Fun Group
I know my weakness of not standing out for my appearance, like Tom Cruise or Clint Eastwood, in the large crowd attending Sunday church; hence, as a simple introvert, I prefer to keep my positive qualities to myself, and I do not mingle with many people who, I think, are acquaintances.
Meeting Eric on an unusual occasion
Fate is unavoidable, and it can be divinely inspired. That happened on a Sunday morning after church. I tried to find a quiet place to sip my coffee, and without paying attention to where I was going, I bumped into Eric, the group leader, and almost spilled my coffee onto him. That allowed me to break the ice at our meeting. We chatted happily, and he told me about his group’s activities, gatherings, outings, and objectives. How I wished I could be a member of his group.
Later, Eric invited me to lunch with the people in his group, and I went. I had a great time with the well-mannered men and graceful ladies, enjoying the delicious food. I discovered that we shared interests, values, and compatible personalities. I was happy to join Eric’s group to meet new friends and experience new activities and I find joy and fun in My Fun Group.
The Joy and Fun in My Fun Group
Lunch after church
I am now a confident member of My Fun Group among these happy people. We have lunch every Sunday after church. Blissfully Chit-chatting away the Sunday afternoon is real fun for us. Time always flies like an arrow when we wallow in the sharing; we can talk over lunch until the late afternoon. Often, I am reluctant to leave the gathering and long to meet these sweetest friends again the following Sunday.
Group Meeting
Attending the group meeting every fortnight is exciting. Eric and his wife host the meeting in their house, where we pray and praise the Lord. That is the time we explore our faith and our relationship with God. The objective is to encourage one another and learn about the Bible and the lessons from scripture.
Outings
We sometimes like to venture out of the city for a fun day trip. One of my most memorable outings was when our group took a trip to the foot of Mount Kinabalu. We set out at eight in the morning and returned home at eight in the evening. It was an amazing day trip.
However, the most thrilling and adventurous journey was when we took a ferry to Labuan Island, a duty-free paradise off the coast of Sabah. We drove for two and a half hours from Kota Kinabalu to the ferry terminal at Menumbok. We parked our car on the car ferry that took us to Labuan Island. The entire trip took about four hours. We stayed overnight in Labuan to shop for duty-free liquor and beer. We returned home the following day. It was full of thrill and excitement.
Birthday and Seasonal Celebrations
Like a family, we are passionate about celebrating one another’s birthdays. Eric and his wife put effort into arranging the celebrations of the members’ birthdays. They book a table in the restaurant and buy a birthday cake for the star of the day. In the same way, we celebrate Christmas and New Year with great enthusiasm, and it’s always hilarious.
Of course, we are responsible for our bill for the meals on all occasions we celebrate.
The takeaway
My Fun Group has changed my dull retirement life to a better one. Now, I always dress appropriately before meeting my friends. Now, I always keep myself clean, shave my face, and wear aftershave and cologne on all occasions. My objective is to have more friends, live a joyful life, and relish the camaraderie among the group. Moreover, I look forward to celebrating my birthday every year with my fellow members of My Fun Group.
I take this opportunity to thank Eric and his wife, Jeverly, for putting great effort into helping all members of their group — My Fun Group.
I appreciate your effort to take the time to read my story and leave your valuable applause and comments.
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