Monday, September 14, 2009

No Water For Me

There have been many times I wish I had learned to swim when I was young. I am deathly afraid of the water which makes learning to swim all the more difficult. That’s way too much water to drink. I think it would have been easier if I tackled this task when I was a young kid because kids are fearless much to the horror of their parents.

I’ve gone on a few tropical vacations in my adult life, (Hawaii, Bahamas) where swimming would have been a wonderful treat. The waters were so blue and cool and refreshing and so darn inviting but yet I sat on the sidelines and just wished I had the guts to go in. People were swimming, jet skiing, playing March Polo, looking quite cool on those very hot summer days.

Many years ago when I lived at home with my parents we had a pool in the back yard. Kind of ironic if you ask me since none of us were swimmers. We never went to the pool or beach to swim as a family. I think maybe if we had my younger sister would not have drowned at the neighborhood community pool many years previous when we were kids.

I remember looking out into the back yard one particularly hot summer afternoon and watching my father swim. He was standing on the edge of the pool at the high end and dove right in and swam to the other side and climbed out, walked back over to the high end and drove right back in.

I was totally shocked. I stood there for a few minutes processing what I had just witnessed. I was 20 years old at the time and had never seen my father swim. Never. I had no idea he even knew how to swim. Why in all these years had he not taken us to a pool or beach to go swimming? I have no idea but it would have been nice and I’m sure he would have been able to teach me to swim since there was no man in the world I trusted more then my father to keep me safe.


18 People saying stuff:

Karen said...

Funny that we don't know all our parent's secrets. A lot of my life has been surrounded by water. We still have a beach house and y dad has always had a boat so summers were all about the water.

But it is not uncommon that people never learned to swim. You are not alone.

★Starrla said...

I was born and raised in FL and I don't know how to swim either. My grandmother enrolled my brother and I into swim lessons...needless to say he learned and I didn't. I am terrified. Will I ever get over that fear? I don't believe so. Ppl always say it's a mind thing but hey....the most I can do is hold my breath under water. I enjoy vacations on cruise ships, I've been to the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, etc. and I enjoy the beach in Miami. I will get into the water but I won't go in as far as some. Whenever I have kids, they WILL learn how to swim at an early age.

The Dish said...

My best friend can't swim. When we go canoeing she always has a life jacket on, even if the water is only 3 feet deep. I offer to teach her but she is terrified! I am teaching her son next summer though. Maybe I can get her in too...

Queen-Size funny bone said...

I am the oldest of 6 when we got our pool I was the only one that was able to stand up in the pool so I never learned how to swim all my sibblings did. But everyone has a fit because I am not afraid of the water and will jump right in. get over the fear of the water than the swimming will come later. my dad taught my kids to swim.

Queen-Size funny bone said...

I am the oldest of 6 when we got our pool I was the only one that was able to stand up in the pool so I never learned how to swim all my sibblings did. But everyone has a fit because I am not afraid of the water and will jump right in. get over the fear of the water than the swimming will come later. my dad taught my kids to swim.

Jeni said...

I do know a little about swimming -enough to float on my back, doggy paddle and yes, I can swim a few strokes. Not well, mind you, but it is swimming in a modest extent. But I have always had this fear of going underwater. I hate to get "dunked" or pushed in; don't dive at all. When my older grandson was a toddler -less than 2 years old -his mother enrolled him in a swim class at the local YMCA and his other grandmother signed up too for the class, as she had never learned to swim at all. So they both learned to swim together. She was in her mid-to-late 40s at the time so you can teach an old dog new tricks after all, huh?

Senorita said...

I learned how to swim when I was 10years old. I was terrified at first, and can see why adults would be terrified at learning.

You really do feel helpless when you get in, and it really does feel like you're sinking.

But after you get over that and paddle, it gets better and before you know it, you are swimming.

I really hope you do learn how to swim, as swimming can be a wonderful experience.

Amber said...

I had always went swimming as a child, but not the deep end. In high school you "had" to take swimming in gym class and you could choose what part of the pool you wanted to be in. I always chose the shallow end, but at least for one or two classes they would MAKE you go to the deep end. I think it helped that they forced me to go, but the one thing I always keep in mind is that once you go under if you want to get back to the top you put your hands down by your sides and kick your feet. If you put your hands above your head, you'll just continue to sink.

Just telling it like it is said...

ahh but you can do it... don't think too much I believe in you

Moooooog35 said...

I swim.

True story.

CarmenSinCity said...

I can't believe you dad never taught you to swim! How odd! My parents actually paid for me to take swimming lessons when I was a kid. I think It was fun, but really, it was so long ago. Who can remember?

That Girl Jonnie said...

Pass up a game of Marco Polo?!?! Who does that?!?! I can't swim either, but I couldn't fathom passing up a perfectly good game of Marco Polo.

I guess different "strokes" for different folks...get it? (I said strokes)

rachaelgking said...

It's definitely weird when you learn something new about someone you've known YOUR WHOLE LIFE. :-)

Liam said...

I have one word that might help those who can't swim enjoy the water...Lifepreserver.

imbeingheldhostage said...

Hmmm, my mind is swimming (!) with the possibilities of a great story here-- just making something up to explain why he never taught you to swim.
I'm a water dog-- even after a near drowning as a child and a scary ocean experience as an adult.

B said...

My grandmother never learned how to swim and a child and was afraid of water as well so you're not alone! I think it's a pretty common fear but how amazing that your dad was able to keep his swimming a secret. I do wonder along with you why he never taught you how to swim, or atleast be at peace with water and the idea.

Terri said...

sorry to hear that about your sister, maybe your family has a fear of the water because of it, or was that "no water" thing even before her accident.

You could always learn to swim or participate in any sport in the water just with a lifejacket on. My mom has never learned but still loves the water, she's just extra cautious.

Filipina Girl said...

I can relate to your experience in such a way that I am afraid to go on deep waters to frolic in the cool waters of the pool or sea because I only know a little about swimming. I regret the day when my father wanted to teach me on how to swim but I rejected because I am not that interested. And now I envy my relatives and small cousins to enjoy the waters of the sea or pool and having the fun. That's why it makes me think that wish I could turn back the hands of time and learn on how to swim.
Anyway, to enjoy our trip in the beach or pool, I just find other activities to have fun and memorable experiences.