Update

This week has been a good workout week for me. Monday and Tuesday consisted of running some but mostly walking a brisk pace with either Ivy or Terry. And of course strength training on Tuesday is always in order :).

But Wednesday is the day I want to make sure and mention. Wednesday called for swimming, no real time or number of laps just swim. The last time I went to the Y to swim I found it tough, but I went early in the morning. It seems that I do better swimming when I go in the mid-afternoon (using my lunch hour for this of course Kevin). Usually it's quiet, not many people there, sometimes I am the only one in the pool. I tend to do better when I am alone.

I show up and there is no one there so out of the two lanes they have for lap swimming I chose the one on the inside, it's harder to swim next to the wall because of the way the water comes back off of that surface. Anyway I begin, at first it's really a warm up, I feel pretty good and am able to make the turns and I don't have to stop much to rest so this is good. Then I look up to see that 15 or 20 mentally challenged adults are coming in and getting into the lane next to me.

At first I was a little upset, this IS lap time and they are taking up an entire lane. But I was the only person swimming laps and they were not in my lane so it was really not a problem for me. I laughed a bit thinking about how now my incompetent swimming didn't really matter because the lifeguards were busy watching them instead of me. I was able to relax a bit at that thought. Then I began to think about whether or not they knew NOT to go to the bathroom in the pool. Probably not and I am swimming right past them over and over...oh well, that is what chlorine is for, right?

At some point someone started screaming which really messed me up for a moment until I realized it was a scream of delight not distress. On that break (I took one because I thought someone was drowning) I noticed how much fun they were having. Laughing, giggling, and just putting their heads under water seemed like an amazing feat. Walking back and forth in the lane some would talk to themselves about the water, how it felt, what it smelled like. At that moment I realized how much I take for granted and how simple life really is. We should appreciate those simple little moments, like a child when they first discover a bug or a pretty flower in the garden. I hope to take this lesson with me...funny isn't it? They have no idea the impression they made on me in those 55 minutes, but God does.