Episode 45: Water (or: Submerged)

I haven't been swimming in over 12 years. After a time, I became self-conscious about my thin torso and stopped going. By the time I got over that, I felt I was too old to go to the child-filled public pool here in Harvard, NE.

Then I went to college and I never really went again.

Today I went to some Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital (where my father works) picnic at a water park and, well... I went swimming.

I'd purchased a new suit and towel prior at Wal-Mart and then I dove in. I did every stroke I could remember, and it was thrilling.

The difference in gravity, the weightlessness of being underwater, the blue world down below... And going off the boards! Oh my lord, how I'd forgotten! To swim, to dive, to dive down deep down to save my head (Heart lyrics. Oooh, barracuda!)... It all came back to me in an instant.

I at once felt both at peace and nostalgic in the water. I felt like I was ten years younger, at least. Swimming, I remembered how long I used to be able to hold my breath, how fast I could swim, how deep down I could go, and everything... And today I learned that I've become far worse at all these things in the decade+ I haven't been swimming.

So, I'm going to take it up, again. That's right. Not only am I lifting weights now, but I'm also swimming on a regular basis.

Yeah, I'm awesome.