Tuesday, July 8, 2008

I Wore a Swimsuit in Public

I have a new kid I'm looking after. She's a great girl, seven years old and gets on really well with my almost 5 year old niece. She also has a great mom who's been giving me an actual local social life by stopping in early with coffee and coming over for lunch.

Yesterday she said we should take the kids to a local park today. Fantastic! To swim in the lake. Oh no. But that would mean wearing bathing suits I said. Yes, she said. Oh God.

I thought I had an out. I said I didn't have a suit. Didn't faze her though and I eventually agreed even if it meant wading in with cutoffs and a t-shirt.

But this morning I found a bathing suit. I thought I had thrown it in a charity bag. Nope. It was there, old and a little ugly. I could lie. I could still wear the cutoffs and a t-shirt. Darn it, of course I couldn't.

See, this mom had told me about a class trip to the local pool she'd had to attend with her daughter. She is like me in body shape, wonderfully ample. The other moms were not. Yet she swallowed the fear, put on the bathing suit and went swimming with her daughter. How small it would make me if I couldn't manage to be inspired by her story.

So we all went. And we all swam. And boy was my friend right. There are a few moments of nervousness as you waddle into the water but after that, after you remember how wonderful it feels to be swimming and how fantastic it is to be able to share that fun with your kids (Catherine swam today, something I never knew she could do!) all the bad stuff disappears.

I spent years away from the water because I didn't want to be seen in my bathing suit. What a waste!

7 comments:

ImPerceptible said...

YAY! You are awesome. We all have our fears and it's really inspiring when you hear about someone overcoming theirs.

How do you give a high five over the internet? because you deserve one.

Jacqueline said...

Oh dear. I don't know if I can be as brave as you. Good for you, though.

kitten said...

Yay!, for you! I got over most of my fear for that a few years ago. I found out that were people out there just like me, so why was I so worried.
Glad you enjoyed and hope you enjoy many more!!

Luke Holzmann said...

Ah, the power of water. I've loved it since I was wee one. Glad you rediscovered the joy of water as well! Now, if only I could figure out how to get myself back to the pool... [smile]

~Luke

molytail said...

Yay! Swimming - especially with kids - is so much fun!

K, I have to admit that I don't really do the whole bathing suit thing myself... I have one, but it's always under a really long hide-me t-shirt LOL ....I can be all justified though because it really doesn't fit right.

If I could find a comfortable two piece - not bikini!! The kind with the loose boy-short bottoms and a tank top...I'd prolly be okay with wearing just that... maybe. :-P

Dawn said...

Mine was the old fasioned one piece. It has a tummy-control panel or something but that's about it. I think the next one should be absolutely hideous. Something pink with ruffles and rhinestones on it. Then, if I notice people are looking at me I can just think, it's the swimsuit.

Anonymous said...

I have the swim shorts and tank top version... the thing is, when they're soaking wet *anything* clings like film, so it doesn't really matter. I like the shorts for the bikini-line issue though.