We are getting ready to leave our 1950s house and do a very period thing. Our California family is going to Hawaii.<\/p>\n
Just like Elvis and the Brady Bunch.<\/p>\n
Unlike them, though, the girls in our family have decided to really swim. It’s all Veronica’s fault. She loves the water.<\/p>\n
Most of her life, she’s been perfectly happy to splash in the shallow end with floaties.<\/p>\n
Most of my life I’ve been satisfied to keep my head perfectly dry and my feet mostly on the ground.<\/p>\n
Chris grew up with a pool, so he is the best swimmer. He worries about Veronica. He would not be able to relax with Veronica in the water.<\/p>\n
Me neither really.<\/p>\n
So, once again off to swim lessons. We’ve done it before.<\/p>\n
THIS time though, there is a shark nipping at our feet.<\/p>\n
Metaphorically.<\/p>\n
We are going to the big vacation and we need to take this thing seriously.<\/p>\n
A local college student is home for the summer and she offered up swim lessons to the public.<\/p>\n
Perfect! Veronica can learn to swim.<\/p>\n
…but…<\/p>\n
This could be the moment that I do something I’ve never done and learn how to do this thing I insist my little one do.<\/p>\n
I swim like a dog. Head up.<\/p>\n
Time I learned to swim like a person.<\/p>\n
Today is the third lesson.<\/p>\n
I do a lot of things a lot better than my daughter. Fold sheets, for one.<\/p>\n
I do not swim better than she does. She already looks like a dolphin.<\/p>\n
I am a DIY kit whose instructions are missing the last page. There are a lot of parts, and some of them are more important than others.<\/p>\n
Kick with your feet together…And don’t rock your hips in the water. Keep your head tucked<\/p>\n
and *GASP* don’t forget to breathe!<\/p>\n
Breathing is the most important part. The most immediate part, anyway<\/p>\n
What looks from the outside to be a single continuous fluid motion<\/p>\n
for me<\/p>\n
is a jigsaw puzzle<\/p>\n
Without a picture<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I am very good at breathing.<\/p>\n
I am expert at many many many uses of legs and feet and arms<\/p>\n
Not swimming.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Something new, right?<\/p>\n
I’m proud of myself.<\/p>\n
and I’m not so happy to feel so ridiculous<\/p>\n
My teacher tells me I have all the pieces. I think she is sincere.<\/p>\n
But the pieces aren’t the picture yet.<\/p>\n
And one of the other important things, close to breathing, isn’t even one of the pieces.<\/p>\n
It takes a lot of strength to do this.<\/p>\n
I may float like a champ, but I’m trying to move. And I use all the muscles that are quite happy to remain unused in every other activity.<\/p>\n
I pulled myself out of the pool and could barely walk.<\/p>\n
It wasn’t until I got home that I could tell which parts hurt.<\/p>\n
My arms. The muscles right beneath my collar bone.<\/p>\n
Is this the joy of learning something new at an age when I’m supposed to have it all figured out?<\/p>\n
The exquisite realization that I will never have it all figured out? The joy-pain of knowing I am terrible at something and doing it anyway?<\/p>\n
My life is filled with the expected, with millimeter gains and games of small stakes.<\/p>\n
I am willing to be weak and ridiculous to try something new. It’s a good practice for experiencing paradise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We are getting ready to leave our 1950s house and do a very period thing. Our California family is going to Hawaii. Just like Elvis and the Brady Bunch. Unlike them, though, the girls in our family have decided to … Continue reading