I had a rough day at work on Monday. It was raining and I was cranky and I just wanted to get rid of some of my stress. And for me, the pool is the best way to do it. So, gear bag across my back, I headed over to the pool after work. I got changed, went out to the pool deck, and scowled.
The pool was busy. Every lane had multiple people in it. I asked the lifeguard what was open for swimming and they said lanes 1-3 – though I should use 2 or 3 since there was a swim lesson going on in lane one.
Lanes 2 and 3 both had at least 4 people in them each – overflow from the swim team practice. I can’t keep up with them and would only be in the way. Fortunately, the woman doing the swim lesson offered up half the lane – Prefect.
I hit the water, swam to the far end, and would have skidded to a halt if I’d been on dry lane. The swim team had moved over to my lane and were now – three abreast – swimming back towards me on kick boards. I did the sensible thing by swearing and then getting out of the pool.
I stalked back down towards the other end and the locker room – and noted that lanes 2 and 3 were now open. I didn’t know why, but Perfect!
I hit the water again, powered down to the end and back. And when I got back to the shallow end I was met by a lifeguard.
Who, apologetically, told me that these lanes were closed as well since a second swim team was coming in. But I could use lane one, if I wanted.
And that lane – where the swim class was still going on – now had 5 people trying to share half the lane.
I shook my head, hauled my ass and the rest of me out of the pool, and headed for the locker room. I got changed, went home, and went running in the rain to settle myself down.
On Tuesday, I tried again and this time – while there was still only one lane open – it was early enough that no one else doing lap swimming. I hit the water and swam like crazy – really enjoying the exertion. When the lifeguard asked if a woman could share the lane, I agreed wholeheartedly. We split the lane and I got in a good workout. And though she was initially wary of the deep end, she did make it down there and back – and I congratulated her.
Same pool, same water, same odd thing on the bottom of the pool that I hoped was a band-aid. But clearly, a different me.
Monday, I got pushed aside. Shunted around because I wasn’t important enough to warrant consideration. I wasn’t on the team so my use of the pool was secondary. I could go into the crowded lane with the rest of the casual swimmers because I clearly wasn’t serious enough about it. Or so it seemed.
Tuesday, I had a chance to share. I got to encourage a fellow swimmer and got in my laps as an equal in the pool. And I got out of the pool feeling good about what I had accomplished and better about my day.
What’s the take-away here? I guess that I don’t like being made to feel less than someone else. It makes me angry and resentful. And I flourish when I have the chance to share and encourage. Which, I dunno, sounds pretty much okay by me. Nobody likes being made to feel unimportant and we should all try to share more often. Hell, those are pre-school lessons.
I’m going to continue to work on my attitude and keep swimming. And maybe get fast enough again to keep up with the college kids.