And then we swam...

I will have to update the random facts about your truly post from 2012.

When I was in grade 3, we had compulsory swimming lessons once every week at school. I my memory serves me right, I started off reasonably well, then somewhere along the way I decided I didn’t want to learn anymore, I think I got scared as the lessons moved from being learning to be comfortable in the water to actually swimming. And so every week I offered one excuse or another to avoid getting into the water… I forgot my costume, I forgot my towel, I have a wound…. I kept the excuses coming and going until the year was over and swimming was no longer compulsory. I felt like a G, having outsmarted my teacher (and also passing of the chance to learn a life skill). Life continued and I continued to not know how to swim…

At the age of 22, learning to swim was one of my new year’s resolutions. As with many a new years resolution early in the year I set out with a resolve to find a swimming coach. I made enquiries at a public pool in Harare and the only coach available was a man who freaked me out. This was the only bit of effort I made. The resolution was soon shelved and life continued and still I could not swim…

Fast forward to 2013. I realised that I enjoy playing in the water. As long as my feet were on the ground I was a happy person in the pool. Walking around the water or doing silly dances; as long as my feet were firmly on the ground I was happy. Once or twice I dragged the slayer to swim, I played he swam, when the ladies and I went on our getaway, they swam I played. Long story short; it got terribly frustrating to go swimming and never actually swim

So this year I decided I was going to learn how to swim. I found a primary school swimming coach, asked him for references; they all gave him the thumbs up and so we were good to go. 

5 hours, tonnes of frustration and money that could have bought a pair of hot heels later and guess what … drumroll please … I CAN SWIM!!!!!! I wish I could explain the feeling of euphoria I felt the very first time I swam but I can’t, it was toooo good a feeling.

I am not yet a profession, far from it, at any rate I am what they called a “beginner swimmer” in primary school. But I can move in the water without my feet on the ground and for now that’s OK. A few more lessons and I’ll be able to swim with the dolphins

The process was not easy though, my coach and I fought every single lesson. I truly wish I had just learnt when I was younger. When I was younger I wasn’t as afraid of death as I am now, when I was younger I didn’t have all the death by drowning statistics that I have now, when I was younger I didn’t need detailed explanations of everything my teacher asked me to do in order for me to assess whether its rationale and logical and whatever else. It would have just been so much easier if I had learnt when I was younger. But I didn’t and so I paid the price…

If there is anything you want to learn, I say go for it. It’s never too late. I may even consider learning to ride a bicycle now….