I Swim

I took swimming lessons as a child, along with my siblings and the neighborhood children. We attended day after day, week after week. I learned the techniques and all of the strokes. Even though I had the knowledge, I never swam. I was afraid.

As time went by, I watched my friends jumping in the pool and diving from the board. It looked like so much fun. But, there I stayed ...clinging to the side. Even as I grew older, I considered taking lessons again. Perhaps as an adult, it would make more sense to me and I could let go of the fear....but I didn't. I became content to never go into the deep.

When I had children, I was determined that they would never be afraid of the deep. I took my girls to swimming lessons early on. It was a great relief and pleasure to see them swimming and enjoying themselves. But my fear would often grip me and at times when we were together on the lake or at the ocean, I would remind them of the dangers and ask them to stay on shore or in the shallow part.

Two summers ago, when visiting my sister, I found myself at her pool....once again looking into the deep. I dove in. It wasn't graceful or without fear, but I did it.

And, now I swim. I swim in the deep and wonder why I clung to the side for so long.