Swimming

I had the best time swimming with my family the other day.

I am not really big on swimming. I’m not sure when or why I changed, but I did. I used to really enjoy swimming. Most days now I would just as soon avoid it.

I remember the great times of swimming I used to have with my sister and brother at North Lake. My brother and I had this game we would play. It was called the sit-on-you-in-the-water-until-you-can’t-breathe-and-you-think-you’re-going-to-die-so-you-return-the-“favor”-but-Dad-sees-you-and-thinks-you’re-being-mean-to-your-little-brother-so-yells-at-you-to-play-with-him-nicely-and-you-end-up-under-water-again-with-your-brother-laughing-while-you-struggle-and-gasp game.

I think it has something to do with that water-in-the-nose burning sensation that you get when you almost breathe water. It’s not the choking, but it is definitely a wrong move to ingest water through your nose. I remember one time having that happen with milk only backwards. The milk took a wrong turn at the back of my throat and drained into my nasal cavity. In the middle of that, or maybe because of it, I started laughing. The burning started, my nose immediately began to drain, I was still trying to swallow but the laugh was seeking release, and in an incredible paroxysm of varied systems colliding, I spewed milk almost the length of our house trailer kitchen.

Anyway, I got that water burning deal when I was with the kids and remembered some of these things. But I had the best time with them.

It wasn’t so much that I was swimming, because I wasn’t. I was just in the water. With them. Laughing and splashing. Splashing and laughing. They don’t care whether I’m swimming or not. They just want to be with me. Sharing the moment.

I know that sounds obvious. It is obvious. But we so often miss the obvious and need it pointed out to us.

Swimming is still not my game. But I’m going to swim anyway.