Better to Laugh

Summer vacation is ending soon in our school district.  We teachers are back at our program August 5.  Wow, that feels really early!

It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating Independence Day.  Our family (brother and fam, Mom and Dad, friends) went camping for the July 4th weekend.  It was extremely hot, so we went to the campground beach to celebrate the holiday.  My sister-in-law and niece swam out to the buoy and back using buoyant “noodles.”  When they got back, I decided to give it a go.  I have open water swimming experience through sprint triathlons, so I felt comfortable swimming to the buoy and back without assistance. 

Halfway out, alone, I realized that there were no lifeguards or rescuers on jet skis.  It was just me and water too deep to touch and too murky to see more than a few inches down.  I started to tense as I pondered the fact that none of my family are good swimmers, and if I should get a cramp or start feeling dizzy from the rocking of the boat wakes, help was a few minutes off.   I would be a goner.  A little pang of panic struck, but then I talked myself into relaxing and enjoying the swim.

On the way back to the designated swim area, it occurred to me that I had forgotten to make a point of reference on the shoreline.  I was way off course (accidentally went to farthest buoy), and I wasn’t sure which group of people were my family.  I finally got close enough that they started waving their hands to get me back on course.  When I got back to them, I said to my husband, “That was probably pretty stupid.”  “He just smiled and said, “Ya think?” 

In the future I will be safer and have someone swim beside me with an inflatable ring.  Sometimes we  feel invincible, until we realize there are no safety nets.