Monday, January 25, 2016

Deep end of the pool, Shallow end of the ocean


The title describes my comfort level with swimming for the past 20 years.  
I grew up surrounded by water in Hawaii and absolutely loved wading in the shallow end of the ocean.  But it was a bummer not being able to join my friends in swimming and snorkeling.  As an adult I took countless swim lessons at the YMCA or community centers. But I still could not get over my terror of deep water.  Totally unfounded terror too.  There was no big traumatic event that caused this fear.   


Then 20 years ago, my mermaid friend Judith worked with me at the pool and everything clicked.  I was able to coordinate side breathing, with crawl stroke and kicking!!!  I would swim laps and cling onto the edge of the pool in the deep end.  

Over the years, I kept up with my swimming and received more swim coaching. It seems as though one day I went out into the ocean and just felt comfortable in the deep.  It was such a liberating experience to be able to snorkle in deep waters, to get smashed by waves while learning to surf, kayak faraway from the shoreline.  I felt as though a whole new world opened up.  


I really thought I would never be able to swim.  That I was a "sinker".  Then when I learned to swim, I thought it could only be in the safe confines of a pool.  Then I graduated to swimming close to the ocean shoreline.    I am not some superperson with the will to overcome or anything that noble. I am just someone who kept on practicing and one day, it all came together.