Keep Swimming

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 For the last few months, I've been taking advantage of DC's fabulous indoor pools [putting on sunscreen is too time-consuming] to exercise. It did not take me (or the lifeguards, for that matter) long to figure out that I was often THE slowest swimmer out there, or that I was swimming unconventionally. Those two might actually be related.

I don't think I have a single normal stroke to get me across the pool. When I do my version of the backstroke, I keep my arms underwater and pull them from shoulder-height to hip height--basically like flapping my arms to fly. And contrary to what one might think for a fairly-inexperienced swimmer, I do not doggie-paddle--mainly because I dislike the strain it puts on my neck (but also because when I swim on my stomach like that, it feels like pressure from the water is preventing full lung expansion). 

It should be fairly easy to pick me out from all the other swimmers in their respective lanes, because I am the only one without goggles or a swim cap. And while I would like to maybe not be so obviously not an expert, I'm not interested in acquiring either the goggles or the swim cap [I hate tight things on my head].

So yes, it is very understandable that I draw the lifeguards' attention--and for real, it happens. I try to not look like I'm drowning, and just keep moving. My goal in swimming is not actually to go fast, nor to swim correctly, but just to get a workout. Anything I do in the water meets that goal. 


And this is an important life lesson. I may compare myself to others who are faster or smarter or prettier or richer, but their performance has no real relation to my own. My object in life is not to be the prettiest or smartest or fastest, but to be better than I was. I can get inspiration or motivation from watching others, but any further comparison just doesn't make sense; their objectives are different, their strengths and 'handicaps' are different. There is no meaningful comparison. 

Life is not a race with others, but with your past self. As such, I don't need to put myself in contrast to others; all I have to do is keep swimming.

Comments

  1. Lindaswenson2020@gmail.comSeptember 25, 2021 at 4:20 PM

    I recently saw the saying, “Somewhere there is a past ‘you’ that is very impressed with how far the present ‘you’ has come.”

    ReplyDelete

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