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Swimming lessons

The family was all set to go for a swim.

The bags filled with towels, sneakers and extra clothes for when they would be dry struggled to stay contained. The number of children in the gaggle was undecipherable as they all were in a state of constant movement. One kid was hanging on the pool door entrance, another was hiding under the check-in counter, and two or three more tots whirred like tiny planets in a wobbly rotation around their mother - who like the sun - was a the center of their aquatic adventure.


The water was calling their name.
They we so prepared that they'd worn their swimsuits in route to the pool.
All they had to do to reach the oasis of the swimming pool was to drop their bags, toss off their t-shirts and flip flops and then...
1
2
3

CANNONBALL!

This family reminds me of what enthusiasm looks like.
Even though there are a million other things this family could have done this afternoon, they had decided and were committed to their goal. This mom with over four children in tow (from age 1 to probably 8) had made a plan, filled the bags and achieved her goal. She and her children we going to go swimming and nothing was going to stop her.

These children and their Mom might have only been going on a Family Swim, but they were re-taught me a swimming lesson for all of life's challenges.

Our bags may not be tidily packed and all members of our group may not be totally organised, but we CAN get up, go out and go swimming.

Some of us wade.
Others dog paddle.
Then a few lounge in the Jacuzzi.
And some, yes some of us count off...

1, 2, 3...
and leap with all of our hearts into the deep end in an effort to make a big splash.
So splash, lounge, paddle and wade - just find a way to get into the water.
It's not the size of the splash that really matters in the end.
What really matters is that we just drop our bags, toss off our t-shirts and shoes and get in the pool.

Swimming lessons are not just about learning to dive, or float, or do the butterfly stroke.
Swimming lessons are about getting into the water and finding our place to start.
Open to pool door.
Let's go swimming.
I've got my suit on already...
how about you?

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