swim.

a photo of my brothers, swimming at their neighborhood pool.

swimming lessons.  ah, swimming lessons.  we have a love-hate relationship, you and i.  at times, i really like showing little tikes how to swim in the pool.  other times, i feel like i should like to sink to the bottom of the deep end.  sometimes, those two full hours of pruny hands and a freezing body to teach kids to move their uncoordinated bodies in ways they aren't familiar with, just does me in.  and the coaxing.  ah!  the coaxing, and pleading, and encouraging to just put your face in the water, dangit!  i mean, how hard can it be, really?  when a strong {if i do say so myself} person is there to catch you at a moments notice?  we all have irrational fears.  i was {am} scared of zombies and that's an irrational fear, because no zombie is going to exist ever- right?  right?  

and then, oh, swimming lessons, the joys of teaching little ones to do bubbles under and monkey-airplane-soldier.  and how cute they are when they say do their big arms out to their animals in the water.  and the smile that spreads on my face when a student says, "thanks for the swimming, teacher.  i love you".  it melts my heart, it does.  and, despite the exhaustion, i will always remember the joys of felt whilst teaching swim lessons.