This past week was filled with many pool days.
And, many learned lessons, of which I’ll share a few that were highlighted for me.
As we were hanging out in the deep end (yay for progress), a cute little boy jumped into the lane. As I’m an overly cautious mother, I said ‘little boy, can you swim?’ He popped up and said yes. I may have said a few more words and he said this to me ‘I recognize your voice’. What? He said ‘I recognize your voice’. I started to think that he couldn’t know me from social media or any of my usual places, then he quickly follows up with ‘do you know [insert his dad’s name]’ I was shocked. I asked ‘are you [my friend’s son name]?’ He said yes.
I looked different because my hair was likely flat and my goggles were on my face, but.. He recognized my voice. When I went to say hi to his mom, and explained what happened, she told me that he had great auditory skills. I had spent many afternoons talking to his dad while we were picking up our respective kids, and he recognized my voice, even though I may have looked very differently.
First lesson: I pray I’m listening that keenly, so that I can recognize the important voices that I need to hear.
I told you I was ‘hanging in the deep’, right? This summer, that has been a major accomplishment for me. To have a sense of ease and peace while being in the deep end.
I’ve also recognized something over the last few days.
As I was swimming, another dad friend commented that he was surprised that I could swim. We had been seeing each other at the pool for many years, and our kids go to the same school. I laughed and told him that I’d been swimming since I was 10. I’ve taken many years of swimming lessons. However, somehow since my brother drowned (the anniversary is coming up in a week), I had allowed fear to take hold of me. I had even convinced myself that I couldn’t swim well.
It’s taken many years of facing that fear.
But, what I’m also recognizing is that fear is contagious.
I had made sure that my daughter started with swimming lessons at an early age. But when it came to swimming in the deep end, I told her no. Until another parent friend convinced me to let her do it.
Yesterday, I realized that I had become the one encouraging her to try jumping off the diving board into 11 feet. She had done 9 feet earlier in the week and had become more confident.
I knew she could do it (my fear had prevented her before and she had taken on the same hesitancy). I also knew that she was surrounded by life guards in case she did get in trouble. When I let go of my fear, I was able to encourage her and support her. And.. the joy she experienced was worth every bit of it!
Who are you surrounding yourself with when you are fearful? Whose voice are your listening to and recognizing in moments of fear?
Dear Heavenly Father, the lessons were so many this week. Thank you for being an ever present Father. Help us to recognize the fears that we are holding on to that no longer serve us. Help us to listen to your voice and to recognize you, even when the instructions may be a little different than we’d expect.