Swimming Lessons

Yesterday, I was so delighted to see, Igi, my eldest, and Blaise, the youngest among the boys, finally able to swim across the ends of the pool (about 30 meters) at their young age of 5 and 4 respectively. Blaise, the most athletic of the boys (because Raine, my daughter, is the most athletic of them all!) was the first to learn swimming. His strokes and timing are very natural. Igi’s strokes and timing are quite off but more effective.

I am not a swimming coach and I am not a scientific swimmer. I can float and I can swim from point A to point B and that’s it—like a dog or frog or turtle, it doesn’t matter. The little that I know, I share to my kids. To my surprise, they mirrored back to me more precious lessons.

If my sons’ friends would ask them how they learned to swim, they might give these pointers:

1) I’d really like to swim in the deeper pool because it’s where Dad and I have more fun
1) To swim a distant, I build my confidence swimming short distances first
2) In building confidence in short distances, it's easier when Dad is within reach
3) Dad must move back when I swim nearer to him; he must stretch my abilities
4) When I am about to give up before the destination, Dad tells me how close I am and I usually can finish
5) At times I would not make it, Dad would hold me up, embrace me and tell me to try again
6) When I succeed in swimming across the pool, Dad shows me how far I’ve swam…then I know I can swim and I’m good at it

I can't help to see similarities in learning to “swim” from who I am now to who I am meant to be--from this world to thy-kingdom-come.

Sons, please teach your Dad some more.