Dive under water and just swim whether in a swimming pool, clear cool lake, or in the salty waves of the ocean. This is a healing escape that has comforted me through rough times throughout my life. So I don't know why I haven't turned to it these past 10 months. Tonight, thank God, a friend asked me to go to a water aerobics class and it felt like I was coming home.
Years ago when our first adoption ended with the birthmother changing her mind and taking our 2 month old, Logan, from my arms, Ron and I hopped on a plane to Cancun. It was the water and sun that drew us and helped us survive those first few days without the little angel we thought would be in our lives always.
When we were finally blessed with the children, I spent summers at the neighborhood pool enjoying them and the water all summer long. Although it was a pool, I would strap on my goggles and snorkel and swim laps with one of them clinging to my back. It always amazed me how people stared at us. What was so strange about a mom hauling her little one up and down the lap lanes with a bright pink snorkel. Okay, I will admit as much as I love water, I hate side breathing. So my snorkel allows me to enjoy swimming laps without it.
Ron and I have spent many wonderful times at lakes in the southwest. One Mother's Day he drove me up to Lake Heron for the afternoon just to let me swim. He found one of Natalie's girlie teen magazines and read patiently on the shore while I enjoyed the crystal clear, emerald water. That has to be one of my favorite places to swim it is so peaceful!
Natalie and I came nose to nose with a friendly dolphin one summer just past the breakers on Moonlight Beach in San Diego. We were just floating on our boogie boards enjoying a mother/daughter conversation about boys when he surfaced right behind her. It literally scared me off my board! We were faster swimmers than we knew getting back to shore. Later we wished we had been calm enough to enjoy the experience but at the time it was too close for comfort or rational thought.
Each of us has activities that bring us comfort and enjoyment. If there is something that makes you feel better, more complete, try to get back involved with it. Who knows, the benefits may just help you relax and sleep better at night. I am grateful I was willing to step out and go to the pool tonight. It was so healing to be in the water. Now I will see if it also helps me sleep peacefully through the night.
In Him,
Joyful
2-14-2011
WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE #578
6 days ago
mmm what a sweet story… i felt like i was swimming laps with you!
ReplyDeletefor me it's grabbing a hot bath. i long for a real soaking tub, but i'll take what i have when i can get a good bath!
thanks for stopping by today!
i went back and read your first post. my husband's family called their grandmother "noni." she was precious and lived 91 years.
ReplyDeleteour kids have been blessed by young life over the years and our son is a leader on signal mountain in chattanooga. he's currently seeking out an internship for the summer (on camp #3… hope to hear something SOON!) and hopes to be on student staff next year in addition to being a team leader. he's all about young life and we are too. both my husband and i are high school leaders in our church and much of what we do is modeled after young life.
Thanks for the kind thoughts. We have a 20 year who is praying for an internship in YL possibly overseas. She has thoroughly enjoyed her times on work crew and summer staff. Last year, after we lost her brother the day before her 20th birthday was tough. Her month at Oakbridge was so healing. The staff did cardboard testimonies and hers was about losing her beloved brother. I am sure your high school ministry does for you what YL does for me. It is one of the ways God uses to keep me young in spirits and walking beside him through life.
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