Cannonball!

When I was little, my parents put all of us kids in swimming lessons at the local YMCA. I couldn't tell you how old I was in the moment or what level of swimmer I was, but I remember being the kid that stood at the end of the diving board, looking at the open arms of a trusted swimming instructor but not interested in jumping. There was something about jumping into the deep waters that scared me....would I come back up?

Then it came, the last day of swimming lessons for the given session. It was the day of final assessments and lots-o-freetime! Most of the kids were playing "jump, cannonball, twist", a game where the swimmer would start out standing at the base of the board, begin running to the end, and while leaping into the air they would have to successfully complete whatever the instructor shouted out (jump, cannonball, or twist) before they hit the water.

I remember watching all the kids playing, having so much fun, and thinking...I want to play too! So, I got out of the water and stood in line. My instructor saw me in line and got out of the pool to ask me if I was going to play. I nodded. She asked me if I wanted her to catch me and I looked at her and said, no.

The line moved along quickly. I found myself standing at the base of the board feeling like my heart was going to leap out of my chest. But, I knew I was committed and ready to go. I started my run and as I leaped into the air the instructor yelled, cannonball! I quickly brought my knees up to my chest and I felt myself plunge into the deep water. A slight panic came over me as I frantically started kicking my feet and swimming toward the surface. The feeling as I popped up and out of the water was a rush, a mix of excitement and amazement! I didn't get sucked into the deep water of the swimming pool! I actually came up swimming and it was fun!

I have to laugh as I think about it now. I was a comptetitive swimmer for 15 years, so I have had to dive off many starting blocks into both shallow and deep water. I have jumped off a boat into the San Francisco Bay to do the swim from Alcatraz. I also swam across Lake Pepin, the widest part of the Mississippi River.

Now, I cannot say that one leap off the diving board was the catalyst to my swimming career...but it took one leap to get over one fear, deep water. It took another leap to get over the fear of being pulled under water by the strong currents of the Mighty Mississippi. And, it took another leap to get over the fear of sharks eating me alive in the San Francisco Bay.

AND, really, I cannot say that all those leaps cured me of my fear of deep water, open water, sharks, or water currents...especially since my heart still races before I jump into murky water. The leaps just reassured me that as long as I know how to swim I am mostly there....the rest is just in my head, or maybe the rest is just left up to luck.

So, as I am preparing to leave for Chile, I know there are things I could be afraid of... But, I am standing at the end of the board, committed and ready to go! I can speak enough Spanish to get around comfortably and have a casual conversation. As long as I know this...I know I will be fine.

So here is to another leap!

Cannonball!