I was pleasantly surprised this past week.
The fundraising for our new pool in Kindersley has taken anchor in the depths of our psyche (a slight reference to water!). I was with a group of people. Someone mentioned they were donating to another cause, and the question was asked if they were also donating to the pool – everyone else is!
Which got me thinking.
How has swimming and swimming pools affected my life over the years?
Fear meets reality. In Grade 5 we had the mandatory “learn to swim” lessons. I was hauled off to the Nautatorium in Moose Jaw, and once I wandered through the cavernous change rooms, I stood on the pool floor and looked at the water. Fear flooded me. After a few weeks of lessons, both dipping my feet and jumping in full body, I was able to overcome some my fear.
Friends swim together. In the mid 1970’s I was living in Kindersley. My wife and I were told there was an inexpensive swim time in the newly built pool, around the noon hour. We ventured in to find a small group of older ladies (who would have preferred the term “middle aged”). They became a source of laughter, a bit of gossip and just plain fun – the break we needed in our busy days.
Breakdowns can be broken down. By the late 1980’s I was in need of a break from a strenuous year of administration at work. Three weeks were allotted for holidays. Those around me carefully planned a getaway. Not to a city center, or a conference or even to visit friend and family. We headed to water! Lakeside was a great re-freshing time.
Life can be confronted. In the early 2000’s we were visiting the in-laws. Their home was on the banks of a river. Not a wide river, just enough for a quick swim in order to reach the other side. My father-in-law wanted to swim the river with myself, my daughter and her friend. We jumped in, began swimming, and my father-in-law cried out. There was no way to help him, he understand he had a heart attack. He sunk beneath the water and drowned. I spent time contemplating for the next while. “We all die”. The question is, am I prepared to live today with death in view?
Swimming is a balancing act. Our bodies change over time. We don’t always like to admit that! In 2008 I had double-knee-replacement surgery. I now have metal knees that only bend so much. The weight is slightly different. I can’t do what I used to do, but I can still enjoy what I do. In a swimming pool this past year, I went the length and back. The enjoyment is still there, although my style of swimming has had to be adjusted.
Now, just because we will have an indoor swimming pool doesn’t mean that every time you step in the pool, you will have a great revelation. More often than not, your swimming will be for fun and fitness. But every once in awhile, consider that the Kindersley Aquatic Center may be more than just a nice hole in the ground, with water in it, and a roof over it.
