A deal you can’t refuse!
Those of my baby-boomer generation can remember the original TV show, Let’s Make a Deal. The host, Monty Hall, kept the thirty minutes rolling by offering eager contestants a chance to trade what they had for whatever was behind a door, curtain, or inside a box. The challenging gamble was that they could not see or know what was undercover there. Often times in search of bigger and better, what they ended up with was only a Zonk, and they went home as a loser.
Pretend you are one of those game show contestants. What if I told you every curtain and door held a fabulous prize–just waiting for you. Not only that, but you don’t have to choose just one door. You can have them all! Granted that would not be material for a successful television program, but I know a place where that actually exists in reality, right here in Nashville.
FiftyForward centers in our area of Tennessee are full of treasured prizes. Behind one door is the opportunity to play games you enjoy with your peers. Another door is the entrance to a fitness and exercise group. There is a door that leads to painting and other fun crafts. Open another door and you’ll see happy people learning to crochet and knit, or trying a new skill like writing. The variety of doors is staggering. I know of a door that connected me to volunteer in the schools here, and a different one served as a support group for those of us in grief. Behind some doors are chances to learn about all kinds of topics, including help with technology or caregiving or food services. Just as bargaining on Let’s Make a Deal often rewarded a wonderful trip, FiftyForward also offers fun group trips for members. Some doors will lead you to special entertainment and even parties, while others open to rooms for solace, working puzzles, or choosing a good book. I could go on and on, but hopefully you get the gist here. Whatever your interests and desires are, a FiftyForward center near you can open new worlds for you. Who doesn’t want to enjoy all those benefits while making new friends, finding new outlets and creativity, and making your life more fulfilling?
Opportunity is knocking, and you don’t even have to knock back. Just open the door and walk in! You don’t have to worry about picking a Zonk. There’s really nothing to make you a loser here; which means you will always be a winner, going home with a bigger and better life. That’s the best prize ever, I think. So, do you want to make a deal? It’s a deal with yourself — to choose the main door of a FiftyForward center and go in. Inside you will find enough other doors with prizes to uncover that could fill a whole season of Let’s Make a Deal. You won’t get many chances for a deal better than that!
Lanet Gregory is a member of FiftyForward Madison Station and a peer ambassador for the All of Us Research Program. In her spare time, she enjoys writing, gardening, and taking long walks with her dog, Mel (ole’ blue eyes!)
