When I was in 9th grade, we all needed to choose a specialized swimming class as a requirement. I think there was a lap swim class, a synchronized swimming class and the one I chose, diving and water games. I was excited to try water polo and if I had to jump off the diving board a few times so be it. Turns our water polo is VERY exhausting and not at all fun when you are playing with junior high boys who try to pelt each other as hard as possible. Why is is fun for young men to hurt each other? Anyway, I digress.
During the diving portion we learned all kinds of dives including a back dive. First they had us practice from the side of the pool. They instructed us to put our hands up in a diving position and to look at our hands and simply fall backwards. What? They stated that if we look at our hand, our spine goes in a position to make a backwards dive. The secret is that you have to go in full force. If you gets scared and pull out of position, you would do a painful back flop ( like a belly flop but on the other side). In my class there was a very manly-hansome guy. By that I mean that he already had a lot of hair all over his body and his voice had changed. I still remember his name, but will not put in this blog in case he is the type to google his name (I am that type and since I became a doctor my results are very borning). Still, this guy was actually on the high school diving team, so in addition to his attractiveness, he was a graceful diver. I can still picture his inverted dive. Those Chineese are no comparrison to him. After seeing him do perfect dive after perfect dive, it was my turn. We all took turns, which means everyone in the class watches you. Nerve racking? Yes!
I took my position at the edge of the pool with my hands up. I stared at my hands and let my body tilt slightly back. I could feel my body entering the air and my feet were off the ground. I had to trust that my instructors were right, but what if they weren't? I didn't want pain, but more importantly, I didn't want the embarrassment. I was scared, yet I continued to hold the form. Adreniline was surging through my whole body, and still I kept the form. Then I felt it.... my hands hit the water. Then my body after them. It was the perfect dive (or the perfect backwards tilt)! I didn't see the hansome guys reaction, but I'm sure he must have smiled and winked at me. As I was in the water I still felt all that energy inside me surge through, creating a jittery happiness. My insturctors were happy and I was able to quickly progress to a full backwards dive off the board. Not once did I do a back flop; I always looked at my hands. Each back dive I did produced slightly less and less adrenaline until it just felt like a normal dive. After my rush ended, I knew I had to fine other ways to get back that feeling.
Now, fast foward 18 years or so to this morning. Wednesdays are my day off and I like to sleep in if Frances lets me. Henry has gymnastics every Wednesday morning and Aaron usually takes him, but this week I told him I could go. You can see where this is heading, right? It was 10 minutes before Henry had to leave and Frances and I woke up. Aaron said he could take Henry, but Henry wanted me, so I agreed and the fun began. Got up, got dressed and presentable, but toast in the toaster, heated up some coffee while Aaron got the kids ready. We got in the car with 2 minutes to spare.
Pulling out of the driveway with my coffee in hand and my two kids in back, I felt it. Whooo! The feeling's back baby!
PS Just to let you know, I did get in A in the class even though every other dive was not as perfect as my back dive. I had quite a few belly flops with the inverted dive and would like to think that a certain junior high boy never saw those dives. Although, maybe he did and that is why he never talked to me and that is why he never became my boyfriend, or anything close. My future could have been changed forever if I could have performed the inverted dive.
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