Last night, at the aquacise class I take at my local Boys & Girl’s Club, I witnessed the most amazing thing – a grown woman overcoming a lifelong fear of the deep end of the pool. 

The class is all done in the deep water, and we wear these water aerobics float-y belts (they must have a better name than that, but that’s what they are) so that we can keep our form as we stretch and move.  Susan (I’ll call her that, but I truthfully don’t know her name) had come to a few classes, but had stayed in the shallow end, enjoying herself but not venturing into the deep.

Last night, she came to class appearing to have made a decision.  She started asking questions about the belt: Does it really keep you floating?  Can you go under wearing it?  Where will the lifeguard be? 

From times when I’ve overcome some of my own fears, I recognized the look on Susan’s face.  She was listening raptly to the answers to her questions, but she didn’t quite believe our assurances.  She needed enough confidence from us to get her into the pool.  From there, she would have to see for herself.

Which she did.  She gasped with excitement when she discovered not only that she could be comfortable in water that was over her head, but she could keep up with the exercises without fear of going under.  She shouted, “I’m so proud of myself!”  We gave her a round of applause at the end of class.

It was an inspiring scene, one worth sharing.  Triumphs big and small can come at any time, any age–anytime we decide we’re ready to jump into the deep end.

(image via: http://www.aquacise.org/)