Get in the Pool

I had a friend growing up who never learned to swim. His parents just never tossed him in the water when he was young. By the time he was in his mid-teens to this day he's just scared to death of the water.

That always blew my mind. It's swimming. It's like walking. Just jump in. We float. You won't just sink to the bottom.

There's a quarry outside of Myerstown that is the number one in-land scuba diving site in the United States. It's an organized quarry. It's a business. There are lifeguards, floating piers, a children's area, volleyball, horseshoes, grills. It really is an awesome place to go.

In the summertime you'd find us at the quarry, swimming, sunning, giving the lifeguards a hard time and having lots of fun.

My Dad and his pals used to swim there. Generations of locals all know the Millardsville Quarry.

I tried and tried and tried to convince my friend to come out and give it a try. Nope. I'll teach you how to swim, I offered. We'll take it slow, I told him. Nope. He was scared to death of water. It all went back to not being taught at a young age.

One of my babysitters growing up was the YMCA in Lebanon. What a babysitter! Swimming and basketball, swimming and basketball - if my Mom had to get rid of me for awhile she dropped me off at the YMCA. She did slow the car down enough so I could jump out. lol

My parents signed me up for swimming lessons at both the YMCA and the pool in Myerstown. I had all my life saving certificates at a very young age.

It all led to a love of the water, and a love of the ocean. I'll always remember my Dad taking me out in the surf in Wildwood, New Jersey. He took me out until the water was up to my neck and I'd jump up to keep my head above each upcoming wave. He kept a firm grip on my hand. For him, of course, the water was only up to his waist.

I also remember a sudden huge wave coming in and knocking me off my feet, pressing me flat on my back on the ocean floor. With one big tug he pulled me right back up again.

"Wow! Let's do it again!" I remember thinking.

Swimming has brought a lot of joy to my life. I always felt so bad for my good friend whose parents never made sure he knew how to swim. Please, throw your kids in the water.

Saturday we went to Breana's fourth birthday party at her parents' new house. There was a little above ground pool available for use. I saw four-year-old Ellis appear with his Mom from their car with a U.S. flag swimsuit.

"Let's go swimming," he exclaimed.

I smiled. How great that he's already loving the water.

I went over to watch him in the pool. He was swimming on his back, kicking with his feet, with his arms folded behind his head.

Odd, "What's he doing?" I asked.

"Oh he's being an otter," his Mom replied.

(smile)