…the edge of the pool, the edge of the shore may seem distant…
I ran into a friend of mine at the hardware store the other day. We had the usual “Gee, how are you?” conversation. Then we got to the real stuff. You know, like asking what the kids are up to. Are your parents healthy? How’s work? It is the kind of talk that only occurs between women- that female talk, that bond of sisterhood held together by the glue of womanhood only another of our gender can understand.
She told me a philosophy of hers that I think is worth repeating. When things get crazy, we’re needed at every turn, spouses clam up or leave altogether, finances get tight, and we feel we’re pulled in a zillion directions, the list can go on forever- We Must Keep Swimming.
Just as Dori says on her quest for Finding Nemo: (if you don’t have little ones or grandkids, you may not get this reference).
I like that approach. It’s helped me keep my head up above the water, so to speak, since she said it to me. It makes sense in the simplest of ways! We can fall over in a heap, we can stop caring, stop doing, stop trying, get discouraged, disappointed, and disgusted. But we must keep swimming.
Swimming can be tiresome when you do it for a long time. But the steady rhythm of the stroke, the breathing in and breathing out, reaching for the edge of the pool or the familiar touch of the shore, is reassurance enough. Even though we may feel afloat in the water, even though the stroke of our arms and the constant kicking of our feet can be challenging, there is a shore ahead. We’ve been there before. We’ve touched it. We’ve rested and renewed ourselves at it. We know it will be there when we return- that side of the pool, that edge of the shore, that place of calmness and rest in our lives.
Swimming can make us fit. We become sleek and trim. Our muscles develop, our lung capacity increases, and our body lightens. It may be challenging at first. Our end goal may seem distant. But as we practice, as we commit, as we dedicate to the swim. It’s not so much about reaching the end of the water; it’s about proving to ourselves we can get there.
When it’s time, we go back out in the water with a renewed sense of self and the capacity to withstand what may come our way through life’s sea of experiences.
Keep swimming. Keep the faith. Keep on track. Keep a positive attitude. Keep trying. Keep swimming- and when things get tough, when the swimming gets tiresome, as we all know, it will- I recommend floating on your back! You’ve earned it.
Apply the Keep Swimming Attitude to your life.
What is going on in your life right now that you know challenging to handle? Perhaps you have little or no control over it, but it is right there in your life, and you can’t ignore it. It could be a relationship with a difficult child, an unsatisfying job, an ill parent. Or perhaps you simply know you need a change and don’t’ know how to begin.
What are some goals that are definable that you could work on and measure rather quickly? If you’re having all these feelings and don’t know where to start, here’s my advice. Find simple, more measurable tasks. Start there. You’ll get some wins that will help you keep going. Small successes can lead to bigger wins.
Maybe your goal is straightforward and definitive, like cleaning out that closet that makes you cringe each time you open the door; or taking a 20-minute walk each morning or setting up time with a coach to just talk through getting started on a new path in your life. It’s doesn’t have to be a big commitment. It can merely be conversations.
Keeping it simple is an excellent place to start. And by setting reasonable goals, your confidence will build and take you to the next destinations that come out of merely beginning. You’ll be swimming.