Swim, Swim

Swimming lessons have been a part of our life for over a year and a half. Steve has religiously been bringing Rosie, every Wednesday, and she loves it. It's her thing. Now it was Buddy's turn to start lessons, and I came along, too, to make it a family event.

Did I ever mention that pools are decidedly not my thing? I never learned how to swim. I can't really describe to you how terrifying it is for me to be around a pool with my kids, because if one of them were to fall in, I'd have no way of rescuing them. It makes me anxious and on-edge.

But all of that is changing, and not because I've learned how to swim. Not yet. The goal is to get both of them swimming, and then it's my turn to learn. And it's going to happen. It's on my bucket list.

All of this is changing because, as I watched from my seat on the pool chair, Rosie put on her goggles, jumped in, and started swimming across. I wasn't prepared for the wave of emotions that overtook me in that moment. Tears streaming down my face, my heart in my throat, I watched my daughter do something that I simply cannot. That little girl of ours, she knows how to swim.

I am doing better by her. We are doing better by her. She now knows a skill that will be with her for life, and, unlike me, she will be able to be around pools and bodies of water and not be afraid.

After watching her swim with Steve for several minutes, my attention turned to Buddy at the other end of the pool, just starting his very first lesson with his swim instructor. He was giggling and happy.

We're doing better by him, too.