swimming pool grace

I am proud of myself because I have swum two mornings a week since the semester began -- the pool hours work with my class schedule this semester for the first time ever! Normally I swim 60 laps and it takes me an hour. I start with 20 laps of breast stroke, 10 with a kickboard, as many freestyle as I can manage (10 is my goal -- any over that are bonuses) -- then some backstroke and some elementary backstroke to work on my arms, then finish up with breast stroke again. Swimming is meditative for me. (I am an Aquarius!) Sometimes I try to count my laps, but generally, I let the clock tell me when it's time to get out, so I can alternately let my mind wander and concentrate on thinking.

Often there is a seniors group in the pool doing water exercises -- sometimes they walk in front of me -- often there are not lanes set aside for lap swimming -- and then they apologize and I go on about my way. It's not convenient but it doesn't really irritate me -- I forget about it from swimming session to swimming session.

But this morning, there was a new swimmer in the pool. That changed everything! He was a fast swimmer, and did probably as many laps as me (in less time) -- all freestyle -- clearly a better swimmer and more in shape than I am. Lap lanes had still not been put down, and this swimmer was creating quite a wake. When I would come up for breath between strokes, often a big chlorine "wave" would go right into my mouth -- the lap lanes keep the surface of the pool smoother -- I think the seniors were bouncing around a little bit more than usual, too.

The lifeguard asked if I wanted him to put down lap lanes, and I said I was fine (don't want to cause anybody any work on my behalf...argh!). I made a mental note that if this swimmer and I overlapped schedules again, I would accede the point that I needed a lap lane. Meanwhile, I was busy working up some anger over how this man "threw off my groove".

As it turns out, this man is a parent of a seminary student, and he is visiting from Seattle. (Which means he won't be back!) I expended effort getting mad at a parent of someone of my own community. Wow. I also found that I swam more laps faster than I ever have. Swimming next to this man inspired me to my personal best (well, recently, in my 40's, anyway). I acknowledge I like my alone time and my routine and my meditation, but why did I begrudge this man some time and space in "my" pool, even in my day? Maybe I "got" the lesson I was supposed to, today.