Facing Fears...Challenged by a 10 Year Old!
"Face your fears, Nana!" -AJ Brockman
The most difficult people to leave behind in Michigan are my two grandchildren. We made sure we spent weeks with them this summer!
One of my goals was to get them into swimming lessons! I never had swimming lessons as a kid. We learned to swim on our own in the pond on the farm. When I was about 12 years old my siblings and I were at thepond with my dad. He challenged us to race to the other side of the pond. First one there would win five bucks.
I took off dog paddling and never looked back. I swam through the weeds and never gave a thought to the snapping turtle and water snakes that lurked below. I wanted that five dollars and I won that five dollars!
In the summer of 1969 I witnessed my sister's boyfriend drown and have pretty much stayed clear of water ever since. Of course my non-love of swimming and water impacted my daughter Shelly. Consequently my grandchildren AJ and Mackenzie, never finished formal swimming lessons.
They stayed with us for two weeks in July and took lessons at the pool at Orchard Hills. There were 5 people in their class--the other three kids were all five years old!
On the first day Mackenzie was frightened but "Ready!" I said your, "Hungry to learn aren't you?"She replied, "No nana, I'm not hungry...I'm starving!" Learn they did. It was pure joy and bliss to watch them transform into swimmers.
This past Sunday we were at a Labor Day Picnic at an outdoor pool with a huge water slide. I found the perfect lounge chair and settled in with a favorite book. A couple of hours later while eating snacks AJ asked why I wasn't swimming or enjoying the water slide. Ummmm...I dont' want to do it...I muttered. He came back with "Nana, face your fears!"
Busted! I knew the only way out was through. I went down the water slide 4 times and finished doing laps with Kenzie in the olympic size pool.
Moral of story: Face your fears. The only way out is through them. How about you? What fears do you need to face? What's stopping you? How would your life be different if you found a way through?
The most difficult people to leave behind in Michigan are my two grandchildren. We made sure we spent weeks with them this summer!
One of my goals was to get them into swimming lessons! I never had swimming lessons as a kid. We learned to swim on our own in the pond on the farm. When I was about 12 years old my siblings and I were at thepond with my dad. He challenged us to race to the other side of the pond. First one there would win five bucks.
I took off dog paddling and never looked back. I swam through the weeds and never gave a thought to the snapping turtle and water snakes that lurked below. I wanted that five dollars and I won that five dollars!
In the summer of 1969 I witnessed my sister's boyfriend drown and have pretty much stayed clear of water ever since. Of course my non-love of swimming and water impacted my daughter Shelly. Consequently my grandchildren AJ and Mackenzie, never finished formal swimming lessons.
They stayed with us for two weeks in July and took lessons at the pool at Orchard Hills. There were 5 people in their class--the other three kids were all five years old!
On the first day Mackenzie was frightened but "Ready!" I said your, "Hungry to learn aren't you?"She replied, "No nana, I'm not hungry...I'm starving!" Learn they did. It was pure joy and bliss to watch them transform into swimmers.
This past Sunday we were at a Labor Day Picnic at an outdoor pool with a huge water slide. I found the perfect lounge chair and settled in with a favorite book. A couple of hours later while eating snacks AJ asked why I wasn't swimming or enjoying the water slide. Ummmm...I dont' want to do it...I muttered. He came back with "Nana, face your fears!"
Busted! I knew the only way out was through. I went down the water slide 4 times and finished doing laps with Kenzie in the olympic size pool.
Moral of story: Face your fears. The only way out is through them. How about you? What fears do you need to face? What's stopping you? How would your life be different if you found a way through?
Let me know your challenge and commitment. I will post the results!
If you need help, a cheerleader or a coach check out the "life coaching" info on my website. If you or someone you know needs a speaker I also have a video clip on mywebsite at http://www.tessmarshall.com/
Stay happy!
Tess Marshall
call 616-460-6729
posted by Tess Marshall at 10:03 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home