Fearful 

Presently, I have the privilege of teaching adults how to swim or how to be better swimmers. Now, instead of teaching reading, writing and math to fourth graders, I now have the privilege of teaching group or private swim lessons to adults with varying skills.

 But, before we ever get our feet wet, I ask the swimmers two questions. First I ask, “What are your goals?” Secondly I ask, “What is your past history with swimming?”

Some of my students want to improve their stroke and speed in preparation for a competition. Others want to learn how to breathe with ease so that they can swim long distances for pleasure. One of my students, a retired CEO of a large company, wanted to get over her fear of the water.

Inquiring into her history she told me that she’d never learned to swim. Not only that, but when she was a kid, a close family member drowned. 

I assured her that given her history of never learning to swim and her memory of a relative’s drowning, that it made perfect sense for her to be afraid of the water. I commended her courage to show up for a lesson and we began.

Baby Steps

We started by walking the length of the pool. I was on one side of her, the concrete edge of the pool was on her other side. The deepest part of the pool is five feet. My student was 5 ‘8”. 

As we walked, I assured her that no matter where she was in the pool, she could put her feet down and stand up. 

During her second lesson we concentrated on lifting her feet off the bottom of the pool. Her fingers gripped the concrete edge as she lifted one leg at a time. Then with a pool buoy between her legs she lifted both legs and then smiled. For the first time, she was floating on top of water. 

For the third lesson, she tucked two pool noodles under her arms. Then, I held onto both her hands and walked in front of her, gently pulling her along. The next lesson she held onto only one of my hands and the lesson after that, she let go of my hands all together, but not without fear.

Whenever her confidence left her, panic appeared on her face. But then she instantly enacted on the truth that she’d learned in her first lesson. Wherever she was in the pool, she could stand up. With this truth in mind, she resumed her practice. 

Truth Over Fear

This student of mine reminds me of me. By faith, I am presently walking into new territory; facilitating workshops that center around my experience with forgiveness. Like my swimming student, I too, have to fight an old fear with the truth. 

My old fear is the fear of abandonment, that feeling I had when my father ended his life by suicide. But, not only did it feel as though my dad had deserted me, I believed God had too. Believing you’ve been abandoned is an awful feeling especially without any faith to stand on, without any faith to hold you up.

But as a believer, I find truths in the scripture to stand on. I read that God never leaves or forsakes me. I’ve read that nothing separates me from God’s love. Believing these truths and continuing to believe them, moves me further along into this new venture of facilitating workshops. Like my swimming student, when my faith is buoyed by the truth, and I can show others the benefits of forgiveness, I can smile too.

Why Bother?

Why bother being unafraid? Our fears limit us, but God’s truths are unlimiting.