swim lessons

Shimmery turquoise water beckons. Red-suited young adults with teen swagger gather in a group for tonight's instructions. The pool manager with the tiny voice attempts to yell directions at clusters of confused parents and wiggly children. So begins each evening of my five year old's swim lessons. Finding his group, my little man proceeds to cannonball off the side, ready to begin. As he resurfaces, his long hair slicked back from his face, he joins the other bobbing heads clinging to the wall. From my perch on the sun-warmed concrete I can only see said heads as they dip under the water's surface only to reappear sputtering water and wiping their noses. Their arms, not quite coordinated yet, flail in circles as they practice over arm techniques. Clinging to half-sunk kick boards they attempt to push their way across the pool. Lifeguards continue to call out directions while corralling stray children back to their group, not unlike herding a bunch of loose cats. As the lesson progresses I continue to hear my child's name over and over. Looking up from my book I see the look of surprise on my child's face as he realizes(again) he is at swim lessons and needs to listen to his instructors. Welcome to my world I want to say to these exasperated, water-logged, been in the sun all day teenagers. Enjoying my freedom on the pool deck I am able to have one solid hour of uninterrupted reading time. Peering over my pages every so often to view my child's progress I am filled with a burst of pride for this free-spirited, independent child who has fallen head over heels in love with the water. Now for some parents this may cause a bit of apprehension, but for this water baby I am thrilled! When summer arrives I spend every possible moment in or around water. It calls to me. I feel hot and dry and cranky until I get to water. Nothing quenches my soul like the cool blue. It erases all my anxieties and as I slip under the surface or jump into the lake, I am free. This I am happy to pass along to my little one. He is my summer buddy, my partner in crime when it comes to all things aquatic. Trying to coerce my husband to join us at the pool is like dragging an anvil yet this child of ours yells with glee and runs for his bathing suit. In a few short weeks we will be at the ocean. Together we will run and jump into the salty spray. Dodging waves I will grab his hand, never to let go as we are knocked over by their force and spit back out again. I will look at my little man and be happy in my heart that no matter what lies ahead or how many disagreements we have about getting dressed or picking up toys, this water thing, our thing, is just between me and my summer love. Goodnight world.