Sunday Scribblings: Quitting
Have I ever quit something? I’m not much of a quitter—I have trouble starting things. You know ...
When I was about 8 years old, I spent the summer with my grandparents and aunt in Atlanta, GA. (As a mom, I now understand the value of that free time for parents.) Looking for activities, my aunt set me up with swim lessons at the local recreation department. Seems odd that someone from the Virginia Beach, VA, area needed swim lessons, but no one in my family swims.
So there I am, in my Supergirl swimsuit--which I loved--ready to learn how to swim with 10 other kids. After getting in the pool, the first thing the instructor tells us to do is open our eyes underwater. Well I just couldn’t do it. The feeling of standing chest-high in chlorinated water staring at my feet is still fresh in my mind. I still remember one of the kids saying, “I thought Supergirl could do anything.” *Sigh.*
Needless to say, I did not finish the lesson and never returned to class. To this day, I keep my eyes closed in a pool, and I’m not a strong swimmer. Now that I am a mom with active kids, I’ve been pondering the idea of taking swim lessons. But something in me doesn’t want to try. If I don’t try, I won’t fail. Silly, I know, but some lessons are hard to unlearn.
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”~Samuel Beckett
When I was about 8 years old, I spent the summer with my grandparents and aunt in Atlanta, GA. (As a mom, I now understand the value of that free time for parents.) Looking for activities, my aunt set me up with swim lessons at the local recreation department. Seems odd that someone from the Virginia Beach, VA, area needed swim lessons, but no one in my family swims.
So there I am, in my Supergirl swimsuit--which I loved--ready to learn how to swim with 10 other kids. After getting in the pool, the first thing the instructor tells us to do is open our eyes underwater. Well I just couldn’t do it. The feeling of standing chest-high in chlorinated water staring at my feet is still fresh in my mind. I still remember one of the kids saying, “I thought Supergirl could do anything.” *Sigh.*
Needless to say, I did not finish the lesson and never returned to class. To this day, I keep my eyes closed in a pool, and I’m not a strong swimmer. Now that I am a mom with active kids, I’ve been pondering the idea of taking swim lessons. But something in me doesn’t want to try. If I don’t try, I won’t fail. Silly, I know, but some lessons are hard to unlearn.
And for more people with good reasons for quitting, visit Sunday Scribblings.
Comments
ghost of words jumping haphazardly
Oh Boy! Can I relate to your story! I cannot open my eyes in the water either. May I share my swimming story with you? I think you won't relate completely but you may enjoy some similarities.
http://luluspetals.blogspot.com/2008/04/fearless-or-just-plain-stupid.html
And I can't bear to put my face in the water either ;)
--The Pragmatist
For the record, I took adult swim classes twice and still can't swim, but I float very well.
For the record, I can kinda swim, and I float very well. However, I have not mastered the illusive dog paddle. Just don't expect me to save a life!
You should learn so that you can save your kids' lives, if need be.
Just a suggestion...
-Aqua Kristi
I believe you can learn, too, even if you end up learning something different than what you initially intended!
Thanks Pho! I'll keep that in mind.
FYI, I am living proof of that stereotype. No one in my family swims, and I grew up near the beach!