Good morning friends! I have a question for you.....
When thinking about your own life, how far back does your memory go? Say for instance, what was the earliest birthday present you remember receiving? Do you recall who gave it to you?
What is it about the brain that it allows such a plethora of memories to be stored there? And why, when we least expect to think about them, do they resurface as a visual reminder of a time so very long ago?
A very clear memory I have of that infamous swimming lesson 46 years ago, besides thinking I was going to drown, was the little "report" card that each kid got to take home. I can close my eyes and still see it-the American Red Cross logo and 5 different items to be checked off when you passed them. Those beginning skills that my class worked on were:
1. blowing bubbles
2. face float
3. face float with kick
4. back float
5. back float with kick
Each time a kid would "pass" one of those skills, the Fisher girls (our swim teachers) would put the most beautiful check mark in the column next to it. Every beginning swimming student's "dream" would be to have all 5 of them checked off at the end of the 7th swimming lesson. If you passed all 5, then you were a "shoe-in" to join the intermediate class the next summer. And, if you didn't pass, well, then guess what you got to do all over again next summer?
And just as clear as if it were yesterday, I remember a shy and tearful 10-year old girl who only had one check mark, "bubble blowing", on that last day of lessons. It's kinda hard to get past the first skill if your little hands have a "death grip" on the side of the pool the entire 30 minutes of lesson time. But that didn't matter to me because all I wanted was to get the heck out of there! The sooner, the better as far as Peggy Scott was concerned! And get out I did-and I swore I'd NEVER come back again.
So now, 46 years later, long after the "swimming statute of limitations" is up, I'm back. I made up my mind, that no matter what, this week when I went to my swimming lesson that I was going to be able to blow bubbles like there was "no tomorrow."
When thinking about your own life, how far back does your memory go? Say for instance, what was the earliest birthday present you remember receiving? Do you recall who gave it to you?
What is it about the brain that it allows such a plethora of memories to be stored there? And why, when we least expect to think about them, do they resurface as a visual reminder of a time so very long ago?
A very clear memory I have of that infamous swimming lesson 46 years ago, besides thinking I was going to drown, was the little "report" card that each kid got to take home. I can close my eyes and still see it-the American Red Cross logo and 5 different items to be checked off when you passed them. Those beginning skills that my class worked on were:1. blowing bubbles
2. face float
3. face float with kick
4. back float
5. back float with kick
Each time a kid would "pass" one of those skills, the Fisher girls (our swim teachers) would put the most beautiful check mark in the column next to it. Every beginning swimming student's "dream" would be to have all 5 of them checked off at the end of the 7th swimming lesson. If you passed all 5, then you were a "shoe-in" to join the intermediate class the next summer. And, if you didn't pass, well, then guess what you got to do all over again next summer?
And just as clear as if it were yesterday, I remember a shy and tearful 10-year old girl who only had one check mark, "bubble blowing", on that last day of lessons. It's kinda hard to get past the first skill if your little hands have a "death grip" on the side of the pool the entire 30 minutes of lesson time. But that didn't matter to me because all I wanted was to get the heck out of there! The sooner, the better as far as Peggy Scott was concerned! And get out I did-and I swore I'd NEVER come back again.
So now, 46 years later, long after the "swimming statute of limitations" is up, I'm back. I made up my mind, that no matter what, this week when I went to my swimming lesson that I was going to be able to blow bubbles like there was "no tomorrow."
On Wednesday of this week, I finally decided to try a little experiment at home. It involved a dishpan full of nice cool water and me. Pathetic as it might sound, I decided to take an unorthodox approach to "Blowing Bubbles 101". I figure that you already get the "picture"of what I tried to do.... If anyone would have walked in and found me "practicing" in the kitchen, it's hard telling what they might have thought. :)
Although not perfect, I think my bubble blowing skills have improved tremendously since last Friday when Laurie had to wait on me to decide if it was ok to put my face in that water. I'm a long ways from being able to put my whole head under the water and do that...but it will come in time. Oh, and to my niece Meggy, I remembered what you said about doing it...just like blowing your nose into a Kleenex. Remember THAT bit of advice and you can do it everytime!
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