I believe I had mistakenly referred to becoming a "tadpole" in a previous post. That word "tadpole" is no longer used at the YMCA for its beginning swimmers. We are the group "formerly known as tadpoles"....now to be called "the polliwogs".
So Dennis Ulrey, I am so sorry, but we're going to need to be working on rewriting that little poem that you came up with for me. But as talented as you are with words and rhyme, that should be a piece of cake, or something like that.
Today's lesson was actually the first time that I felt comfortable in the water for 100 percent of the time. I'm happy to say that I was able to do several things on my own today and feel confident that when I take the old "polliwog" exam, perhaps next Saturday morning, that my teacher will be able to put a lovely check mark beside each of those skills.
I refuse to say that it was easy today, because it was far from that. There was even a time when I almost had a "flashback" to 1965 and that sickening feeling I had of drowning in the water. I was practicing face floating again and for some reason I lost my concentration and started to sink. For one brief moment, arms and legs went thrashing and the burning feeling of chlorinated water went into my nose.
All of a sudden, that 10-year old little girl came back and for a split second, thought about crying. But luckily, Laurie was right there and I was just fine. She saw how it had "gotten" me and said that I should just try again later. I told her "no" that I wanted to try again right then. And you know what, it worked!
I'm glad I didn't give into the fear and leave the pool. If I wait another 45 years to get back in, I'll be, well, pretty old! Not that a 100-year old person could not do that...I just don't know where I'd find a bathing suit then! :)
One added bonus from this morning's lesson was to see another adult class going on at the same time in our smaller pool. Two women, slightly younger than I, (ok a whole lot younger than me) were taking advanced lessons. They had only learned to swim a year or so ago and they were back trying to become even better swimmers. Laurie told me that they started out just like me and were able to become fairly decent swimmers in a short amount of time. If those gals can do it, then why not me too?
I think back to that time so very long when I was that little kid who gave up on swimming lessons, just ONE day into them. Now that I think about it, saying that I gave up after one day is really stretching it...I GAVE UP 5 MINUTES INTO THEM.
The beautiful girl in the photo below was my teacher, Jenny Fisher. I am sure that she must have been pretty exasperated to have tried to teach me! Now that I look back on it, I realize how brave she must have been. Pretty sure that I nearly tried to drown her as well as myself that day when all I really needed to do was just STAND UP! So I believe I will do my last lesson in honor of that very courageous swim teacher from the time of the "land of long ago and so very far away"......
To Jenny: Wherever you are these days...this "little girl" never forgot you! Thanks for putting up with my "water phobia" but I'm sure you will be happy to learn that I have since grown up and returned to the water! On behalf of all the little kids you helped that summer, "our thanks!"
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