Water is beautiful but it’s not our natural element and that is scary as sh*t if we let ourselves think about it.
It’s hard to be brave in a world that enjoys taking…and taking…and then telling us that we should be grateful for what we have and do more as it ….takes some more.
I’m afraid of gravity.
In my 20’s my bf and I rock climbed a lot and he would always talk about what “a natural I was”. I never told him the truth. I wasn’t a natural. I was just too afraid of letting go and falling. Gravity is a bitch and she always gets you when you least expect it lol. I was determined not to be the one she took.
So much of life is like that. Avoiding what we fear most and thereby giving it so much power.
It would have been better if I’d learned how to let myself fall…I would have learned that I could trust both the rope and the person there to catch me.
Whether you learn to swim or not- the very act of admitting you want to is brave.
I love that you want to make sure you give yourself time to dream and daydream, and I really hope you can learn to swim. Quite a few of my Chinese friends shared with me that they never had learned to swim. I once witnessed a heartbreaking scene in China along the Li River, and I want you and others to have the confidence and safety that learning to swim can bring. I used to swim every week, and one day I met a man who had never learned to swim, but he was trying to learn on his own. I actually taught him that day and it was so fun to see him safely swim across the pool after a few tries. Our conversation was one I wrote about also. I'll enjoy finding that draft and finishing it...there were spiritual parallels. God bless you.
Thank you for the reminder of how scarcity is not our portion. And thank you also for reminding us of the necessity of dreams. Blessings to you as you fulfill this vulnerable dream of learning to swim …. I will add you to my prayers with this. And CONGRATULATIONS 🎈🎉🎊 for completing your first year of your PhD program
As a child, I grew up on the Allegheny River in Oakmont, PA. I loved the water 💦 I joined my high school swim team and became a letterman. My summer job was lifeguard. Good luck 🍀 overcoming your anxiety about swimming 🏊♀️
I use to, informally, teach neighborhood children how to ride horses bareback with the assistance of a very patient old mare who helped wonderfully. The first lesson was always how to fall off. Experiecing success in this “terrifying” skill instantly boosted confidence. Delighted, the children would often ask to let’s do it again! Of course, I was always walking alongside to lend a helping hand. Suggestion: with a qualified swimming instructor standing in the water with you, let your first lesson be “drown-proofing”. Cheers! to your success!
I also had a fear of water and re-learned to swim as an adult through classes at a local community college. Over a period of about five years I slowly became a very confident (I can even butterfly) swimmer. It was an incredibly beautiful journey. I hope your dream comes true. Swimming has become a solace to me. The water holds me and soothes me now.
I will teach you! Water is a terrifyingly beautiful and mystical element, capable of bringing both immense relaxation and enjoyment and also real danger. You are not wrong to respect it. I would be honored to help you learn to both respect and enjoy it.
I hope you learn how to swim Robert! I am a christian and have swimming as a dear hobby. I have come to find swimming and faith are similar for me- in learning swimming, it all starts with learning to float, which means trusting the water, trusting God. The really talented swimmers look like doplhins, they know exactly how much the water carries them, and know how to graciosly navigate to get the most effective strokes. I pray you find this practice helpful and maybe even enjoyable 🙏🏾 I am on this journey myself, having swam for many, many years, I am still navigating just how much I can allow for the water to carry me through, learning how much I can rely on God and let go.
Hi Robert, thank you for reminding me to pay attention to what floats to the surface when no one else is looking. I learned to swim in my mid-thirties between pregnancies. I used to say I was on the "five year plan." It was hard and took so much coordination. When I started, I had carried an unexplainable terror of bottom of the deep end of the pool with me for years. When I got decent enough to swim laps, I used to close my eyes when the pool dropped off. Many years later, I can say that swimming has been a great gift.
If you dream of learning to swim, do it. I am 61 and these days perfectly content going no more than waist-deep in the ocean. I have been in swimming lessons on and off since I was six. The day I decided I didn't need to keep trying was the day my very pregnant daughter had to toss her six year old towards the beach to save me yet another time after attempting to show her my latest attempt. I am content to delve deep into the soul while remaining safe in the shallow end of the pool. But if you dream of learning to swim, then listen to your heart and jump in!
Water is beautiful but it’s not our natural element and that is scary as sh*t if we let ourselves think about it.
It’s hard to be brave in a world that enjoys taking…and taking…and then telling us that we should be grateful for what we have and do more as it ….takes some more.
I’m afraid of gravity.
In my 20’s my bf and I rock climbed a lot and he would always talk about what “a natural I was”. I never told him the truth. I wasn’t a natural. I was just too afraid of letting go and falling. Gravity is a bitch and she always gets you when you least expect it lol. I was determined not to be the one she took.
So much of life is like that. Avoiding what we fear most and thereby giving it so much power.
It would have been better if I’d learned how to let myself fall…I would have learned that I could trust both the rope and the person there to catch me.
Whether you learn to swim or not- the very act of admitting you want to is brave.
Like super effing brave.
I’m rooting for you;)
this is beautiful thank you
“Whether you learn to swim or not- the very act of admitting you want to is brave.
Like super effing brave. I’m rooting for you;)” (this ❤️)
Just crying as I read this.
I love that you want to make sure you give yourself time to dream and daydream, and I really hope you can learn to swim. Quite a few of my Chinese friends shared with me that they never had learned to swim. I once witnessed a heartbreaking scene in China along the Li River, and I want you and others to have the confidence and safety that learning to swim can bring. I used to swim every week, and one day I met a man who had never learned to swim, but he was trying to learn on his own. I actually taught him that day and it was so fun to see him safely swim across the pool after a few tries. Our conversation was one I wrote about also. I'll enjoy finding that draft and finishing it...there were spiritual parallels. God bless you.
Robert, I'm crying as I finish this. Thank you for your beautiful words and your beautiful soul.
I cried writing it. Phew 😢 dreaming is vulnerable
Thank you for the reminder of how scarcity is not our portion. And thank you also for reminding us of the necessity of dreams. Blessings to you as you fulfill this vulnerable dream of learning to swim …. I will add you to my prayers with this. And CONGRATULATIONS 🎈🎉🎊 for completing your first year of your PhD program
♥️
As a child, I grew up on the Allegheny River in Oakmont, PA. I loved the water 💦 I joined my high school swim team and became a letterman. My summer job was lifeguard. Good luck 🍀 overcoming your anxiety about swimming 🏊♀️
I use to, informally, teach neighborhood children how to ride horses bareback with the assistance of a very patient old mare who helped wonderfully. The first lesson was always how to fall off. Experiecing success in this “terrifying” skill instantly boosted confidence. Delighted, the children would often ask to let’s do it again! Of course, I was always walking alongside to lend a helping hand. Suggestion: with a qualified swimming instructor standing in the water with you, let your first lesson be “drown-proofing”. Cheers! to your success!
Sending Lots of love and strengthening dreams :)
thank you so much
I also had a fear of water and re-learned to swim as an adult through classes at a local community college. Over a period of about five years I slowly became a very confident (I can even butterfly) swimmer. It was an incredibly beautiful journey. I hope your dream comes true. Swimming has become a solace to me. The water holds me and soothes me now.
“Water has taken a lot from me and I do want to live in a different relationship to it.” 😭😭😭 (I want this for you too ❤️🩹❤️)
I wrestled to include all of this in my post because it is very vulnerable. Thank you.
I love that dream for you. Thanks for sharing it with us.
I, too (probably for different reasons, but also healing), have been sensing an invitation to learn to swim. I want this for both of us. 🫂
I will teach you! Water is a terrifyingly beautiful and mystical element, capable of bringing both immense relaxation and enjoyment and also real danger. You are not wrong to respect it. I would be honored to help you learn to both respect and enjoy it.
I hope you learn how to swim Robert! I am a christian and have swimming as a dear hobby. I have come to find swimming and faith are similar for me- in learning swimming, it all starts with learning to float, which means trusting the water, trusting God. The really talented swimmers look like doplhins, they know exactly how much the water carries them, and know how to graciosly navigate to get the most effective strokes. I pray you find this practice helpful and maybe even enjoyable 🙏🏾 I am on this journey myself, having swam for many, many years, I am still navigating just how much I can allow for the water to carry me through, learning how much I can rely on God and let go.
Hi Robert, thank you for reminding me to pay attention to what floats to the surface when no one else is looking. I learned to swim in my mid-thirties between pregnancies. I used to say I was on the "five year plan." It was hard and took so much coordination. When I started, I had carried an unexplainable terror of bottom of the deep end of the pool with me for years. When I got decent enough to swim laps, I used to close my eyes when the pool dropped off. Many years later, I can say that swimming has been a great gift.
Burrow deep down in your dreams.
I love this post, it’s so honest! Very relatable! 👍🫶
If you dream of learning to swim, do it. I am 61 and these days perfectly content going no more than waist-deep in the ocean. I have been in swimming lessons on and off since I was six. The day I decided I didn't need to keep trying was the day my very pregnant daughter had to toss her six year old towards the beach to save me yet another time after attempting to show her my latest attempt. I am content to delve deep into the soul while remaining safe in the shallow end of the pool. But if you dream of learning to swim, then listen to your heart and jump in!