Summers always remind me of the swimming times I had as a child when my dad was working. We had a swimming pool in the campus we lived, venturing into which I loved the most. Not that I knew well how to swim but because cold pool water helped me beat the heat!
My mom and sister, both were good swimmers, and I happened to learn a lot from them. We had three pools – the small one, the medium and the deep one. I tried all, though gradually with age, but was proud of myself for having made it in a little time.
I still remember how I graduated from the small pool to the medium one, though with the help of tyre tubes or helpers on my arms. I can recollect those orange coloured inflatable ones, which helped me keep afloat no matter what, and I would just swing around my hands waiving like a celebrity, especially the day I took that first plunge into a deeper pool, all excited. All efforts to learn ‘butterfly stroke’ proved futile because what lied within was the will to play in water and do nothing else!!!
But it was unadulterated fun, daily evening getting ready with a swimming trunk and making the best of it for an hour or so. I still remember how my mom taught me to drain water from ears after every swim and it was a pretty tough and long exercise.
A visit to the pool would take away all the tiredness. We as children would even bring a big ball and play around in water. I even remember how once I had got entire swimming accessories like an oxygen mask, underwater glasses and shoes. I used them all to show off, but not a single one to swim which could fetch me some words of appreciation.
Those swimming days can never come back. I have learnt to sail through tough times in life. At times challenges come like waves, and I have learnt to swim now, even through deep waters, and that too without helpers – the inflatable ones!
The Sip of Life & A3 Foundation jointly bring to you an event to promote and encourage the students and amateurs in the month of August this year. The foundation, in online partnership with this website announces upcoming competitions and events to promote and encourage the students and amateurs.
Amit,
you are amazing!
Lke ruskin bond, your stories take one to the golden years of one’s lifetime and a twich in the heart and sometimes a mist in the eyes,perhaps a deluge for other few.
so leisury written bt so very inducive.
Amit, Childhood memories are golden memories truly and take you o cloud 9, whenever you recount them.
The indelible mark of ur childhood memories is amazing. You have shown that really tough times don’t lasts but tough people do.
why this happens as we grow and become mature we almost learn everything but forget to enjoy the life in an unadulterated way as you said