In Which I Explain Why Water Is So Important To Me

I was thinking on my drive into work today (dangerous, I know.) It was foggy and clearly on the brink of raining. Rain got me thinking of water. Water got me thinking of swimming. And swimming got me all nostalgic.

Let me back up a bit (and this is gonna be long)...


I can not remember a time that I was ever afraid of the water. When my older brother and I were about six and seven my parents decided to sign us up for a competitive swim team. Both of us had done really well in swim lessons and seemed so comfortable in the water that it just seemed to make sense. My mom had been a swimmer as a child/teenager and thought we might enjoy it as much as she had.

We started with the team in the summer. Summer swim teams are a little less competitive and a bit more relaxed and fun. We practiced every morning, so early that the water was still cold and was a shock to the system when you jumped in. I never felt like I didn't belong. I never felt like I wasn't good enough. I swam for my best time and I swam for my team.

My bro and I must have done well and enjoyed it enough because we didn't stop swimming when summer ended. We joined the winter league which was a lot more intense and required a bigger commitment. Every day after school we would drop our school bags and grab our swim bags. Then we'd head right back out the door. Our mom would bring us to practice and our dad would meet her there. Most nights she would then go home to get dinner ready and then dad would take us home. We'd eat together, do homework, and then I would often get my hair rinsed out in the sink by my mom so it didn't turn green. At least one weekend a month was dedicated to a swim meet. Unlike summer when meets lasted a few hours and could be held in an evening, these meets lasted 2 days, beginning at 7am and closing down around 6pm. There were hundreds of swimmers and many teams represented. These meets were for serious swimmers only. Those just seeking to simply "have fun" need not apply.

Don't get me wrong. It was fun. My best friends were the girls that I swam with. We had an awesome relay and a coach who called us his girls. When we walked to our starting block he would yell out to us and we would strike a pose showing our muscles (we were like 10...it was cute). I wasn't just ok, I was actually good. I usually raced in the A heat (the fastest) and once, when I missed my heat because I wasn't paying attention or something, they allowed me to swim in the boys heat and I beat them all! It was the slowest boys heat, but I was just a little girl and I beat the boys! Needless to say, they weren't too happy about that.

I'm sure there were times when I would have rather just plopped on the couch to watch TV after school instead of dragging my booty to practice, but I was in killer shape. When I was in 4th grade I did more pull ups than the boys during our fitness test. And swimming was a part of my identity. I was Mallory: sister, daughter, student, friend, great butterflier and IM'er. I had a shirt that said: "Eat, Sleep, Drink, Swim" and that's pretty much what I did. (I also had one that said "Kiss my wake"...I was so cool).

When we got to middle school there was some sort of political situation with the team (the board wanted to get rid of one of the coaches) and the team was fractured because of this. My parents gave my brother and me the choice to stop swimming if we wanted to. We were in middle school. Friends were what mattered most. We both stopped swimming.

After a couple years off I joined the high school team. My 10 year old self could have beat the pants off of me, but by high school swim team standards I was good. I swam all four years and made some good friends. My brothers and I also got gigs as lifeguards. My older bro and I gave lessons and advanced to head guards. Our little bro has surpassed us both and now manages a pool.

So, now you can see why water is so important to me. The only down side to swimming is that you have to have access to a pool to do it. I wish I could swim more. When you first dive in there is just this awesome peace that envelopes you. Before you break the surface it's just you and the water. No noise, nobody needing your attention...you don't need to do anything but remember to eventually come up for air.

Swimming taught me a lot of things. I learned about keeping commitments. I learned about being a team player. I learned about always bringing my best to the table. I learned that my parents would always be there to watch me and support me. I learned the importance of practice. I learned how to work with people I didn't necessarily like. I built confidence in myself. I found peace.

Maybe one day Reed will be a swimmer. Maybe not. But either way, I hope he finds something that impacts his life like swimming has impacted mine.