When I think back on my childhood, I often think about how it was that I never learned how to swim. I did grow up in the Bronx, where those opportunities aren't in abundance like they are in New Jersey, where I now live. But there were beaches, which probably aren't the best places to learn. From what I understand, my father could swim. I am not sure about my mom. We even had a few summers where we had a pool in our yard! I guess my father wasn't the type to take his kids and throw them in the water to see if they could float. I know my brother experienced the same situation.
While I obviously wasn't on a swim team, I played softball, fooled around with guitar, collected comics, collected baseball cards and bought plenty of records. There were these large circular pieces of vinyl with grooves in them and a hole in the middle that played music upon the touch of a diamond needle. They even came with sleeves and an album jacket that contained information about the contents. We didn't have the luxury of a world wide web. I had plenty of interests, but never took the time to teach myself how to swim as I got older. I am not even going to tell you how many years ago this was, but you can probably figure it out based on some of my comments.
I don't have a fear of water. I have been on a cruise ship, a yacht and even a very small boat that transported me from a large ship to an island. I think my fear comes more from drowning or not being able to stay afloat while attempting movement in a body of water with no way of travelling from one end of the pool to another with just my feet and hands.
I just came home from a trip to Orlando, Florida. While there, I spent a lot of time in the pool. With the support of an amazing woman, I attempted to conquer my fear, not understanding totally where it existed. Staying at the Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort, I had a number of pools and lazy rivers to choose from. I have overcome many fears in my lifetime, therefore, I had to try to do the same with this one. I walked out into the pool until the water was touching my chin. It may not seem like much to some people, but it was a major step for me.
While standing in what was almost the deepest end of the pool, I attempted numerous times to crouch down and put my entire head under water. The amazing woman that I mentioned before was monitoring my progress, by letting me know that my entire head didn't go under quite a few times. First it was only up to my eyebrows and then a small section of my head was still above the water. Finally, I was completely submerged and I felt like I just won a gold medal.
After achieving this act of breathing in chlorine, I then tried to lift myself up. I wondered what those people who were sitting in lounge chairs thought I was doing. I did notice that no one came near me while I was acting like a blundering idiot in the water. I also held onto a step at the 4'8" mark and kicked my feet to raise me off the pool floor. I do understand what I accomplished many young children have already graduated from, but it still was an accomplishment for me.
I don't know if I would have even attempted any of this if it hadn't been for the support of that amazing woman that I had previously mentioned. Do I ever regret not learning how to swim at a younger age? I can honestly say that I don't. I do not believe if I was younger that I could have had as much fun as I had learning to deal with the water this past week.