Lent Day 9: Swimming Lesson

Today we went to watch Eva's little class show us what they've been doing in their swimming lessons. There was lots of smiling and waving, not that much swimming. 

The little poppets have been divided into two groups. The 'dolphin' group were girls who have a little skill in the water and who can thrash their way from one side of the pool to another in a mild resemblance of free style. The 'turtle' group are still learning some confidence in the pool and need a little more assistance from their teachers.

It was flippen cute. And we all clapped as each little person did whatever it was that they have learnt to do - whether it was some back stroke kicks with a kick board or doing bunny hops across the pool. 

At one point I heard the most delightful squeal from the turtle group. It came from the beaming face of a little person who I've known since she was two. 

For most parents there she was, just a little girl having fun in a pool. But I know her story and I know how this moment is so much more for her. She was prem and has faced countless obstacles - obstacles that I wont list because I want to respect her and her family - but she's really learnt to be stoic and to cope with so much more than other children have had to in their five years of living. I recently watched her accept with grace the fact that she wouldn't be getting an ice cream at a party because it had dairy, she stood in the line with her friends anyway.

I've watched her dance on a stage with complete joy completely oblivious to the myriads of parents and grandparents watching her, thoroughly entertained. I've seen her share her love with anyone who needed it. I've seen her adapt to the world around her with a different understanding of how sound works.

And watching that delighted little face in the pool just brought everything that this little girl has endured, and survived and marveled at and healed from to the fore and I felt a lump form in my throat.

And then I turned around to find her moms face because of how suddenly overwhelmed I felt. And I was met with a smiling, tear stained face of a mom, a face not dissimilar to that of her daughter. And she didn't need to say a word for me to know everything she needed to say. 

We will never understand the journey of parenthood and how different that journey can be for each of us if we don't seek the face of a parent in a moment like this to celebrate how far we have all come. We must never take the laughter of a child for granted because we don't know how hard a parent has had to work to come to a place where joy can be felt. It doesn't matter if your kid is a 'dolphin' or a 'turtle', the sheer miracle of their existence is actually the greatest achievement of all.

And suddenly a Grade R swimming lesson became so much more. It reminded me that in all things we never know how hard it is for some to do the 'bunny hops' while other swim effortlessly across the pool. And sometimes the bunny hoppers are happier because they've had to work so much harder for their happiness. When we look at the pool of humanity there's always someone struggling and someone winning. And its not always as obvious as identifying the winner of the race. Because sometimes the winner is a little girl who has defied the odds and is joyfully bunny hopping across a swimming pool.