Photo Per Day #11: Pool

This is how I start my day. Not every day but many. Usually I have the pool to myself. Today I shared it with a tiny woman who looked to be in her early 80s. At 5:30 a.m., she was already doing laps. When I entered the steam room at 6:30 a.m., she was in there, lying on the tiled bench, stark naked. (Another missed Photo Per Day opportunity. Too steamy. Ha.) She was facing the wall with her back/butt facing me. I wondered if I will be that carefree when I'm her age. For now, I'll keep my swimsuit on. It's in everyone's best interests.

Usually when I do laps, I meditate on the Lord's Prayer. I recite a single verse per lap and I focus on either a single word or an entire phrase. "Our Father. Our Father. Our. Not just mine but all of ours." I sometimes throw in a few Hail Marys for good measure because I think Mary is pretty awesome.

When I'm done, I float in a swimmer's savasana of sorts and relax. Today, after prayer, while floating like a bloated corpse, my brain was flooded with an old Squeeze song from when I was in college. While I don't think the writers intended it for God-like purposes, it really amazed me.

Take me I'm yours for dreams are made of this. Forever there'll be a heaven in your kiss.

Love is . . .

Love is going to a party filled with friends and spending the bulk of your time hanging with your kids.

Love is letting a soaking wet child get out of the pool on a chilly summer night and climb directly into your lap for snuggles and warmth.

Love is realizing that you wouldn't prefer it any other way.

Think or Swim

This morning I went to a different location than my regular gym. (And by "regular," I mean the gym that I stopped going to two years ago and recently re-signed due to excess flabbiness. Positive correlation?) This facility is closer to the client site where I currently spend my Tuesdays and it has a pool. A gorgeous, heated, well lit pool!

So I started my day by enjoying one of my absolutely favorite things to do. And I had the entire place to myself. I also had the sauna to myself afterward.

I think that's one key to enjoying life: having refreshing, vacation-like moments interspersed in the midst of the daily grind.

The World Can Change in an Instant

Son #1 fell in the Erie Canal yesterday while fishing with his dad and little brother.

He kept his cool, swam to the edge, held on, grabbed my hubby's hand and was pulled out.

Everything seemed fine last night. We all played tennis and the boys spent some time rolling down the hill by the courts; but, he was pretty scared when he finally climbed into bed. He began crying and told me that he was really glad to be alive because he really wanted to stick around and "see the sights." He also discovered that he wants to live for a really long time because he "likes it here on earth."

I like it when he's here on earth, too.