Today I was with Ben and Amanda for a quick dip in the rather chilly baby-monkey pool at our local Baths (how old am I!!!). Swimming is not something that comes all that naturally to me. And that's strange, because physically you'd think I'd float without a problem, what with all the fat surrounding me. But oddly it seems that my legs float to the surface of the pool. My arse sinks, but my legs float. It is the oddest thing!
Humans have always been fascinated by water. Not me mate! I can swim okay and I have the Badges to prove it, but I don't like being out of my depth. And I don't like the idea of all sorts of beasties swimming unseen beneath my feet (this, of course, applies to swimming in the sea, but not always!). Maybe it's a control thing. Very possibly. Not being able to put your foot on the floor puts you in a very pivotal situation - either you swim, or you sink. Maybe not as grave a situation as that, but the general principle is sound. John Ortberg's book could be easily retitled "If You Want To Have A Nice Swim, You've Got To Take Your Foot Off The Bottom".
Feeling safe is one thing, but it can only preserve life. Pushing off can be scary, but it's the only way to experience real living.
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