Something about swimming

I’m no professional swimmer. The retirees at the community pool possibly surge past me. They wait each morning outside the gates at a quarter past six. I can also relate of at least one avid swimmer who camped out in the toilet overnight to await dawn, so there’s commitment for you. And the involvement of the police. But as I do my first kick off from the wall and take my gulp of air, something about the feel of water, blurry blue lines on the floor; the lap ahead, makes me feel the life of --life.

As a swimmer friend once told me, walking and running come naturally to us since we are trained the moment we can from birth. We stride, sprint and stroll upright until death or unless pre-maturely incapacitated. But in water, it’s an education of a whole new world! We un-breathe or we die; our equilibrium goes awry; the pressure startles us into floating or sinking, and goggles irritate us more than our eye glasses or contact lenses. We don’t even have an operation like “lasik” to remove the ciliary muscles in our human eyes. In fact, my mom often randomly quotes the Chinese proverb that “water is much more feared than mountain.” This is the nature of water that makes the swim a form of conquer.

Comparable to life, we want to do more than survive. We want to succeed in it. Not just drift along where currents bring us, but be able to swim against the tide, or allow its strength to push us forward. We learn the breast-stroke, butterfly, frontcrawl. And when wanting the best of both worlds, we do the backstroke. This morning, I’m doing more frontcrawl than the other styles. There are moments when I forget I am swimming, and think about the day’s commitments, and all the movements become mechanical. But with a distracting splash from the next swimmer, I lose my momentum and begin thrashing about. It takes some effort to regain the poise and rhythm, and discipline to feel the way my body moves.

Something about swimming that makes the shower more refreshing and the gift from a friend, a raspberry bath, more fragrant. Something about swimming that makes the steps to work a little lighter, and the work clothes softer. Something about swimming that makes the diet coke taste more delicious and no less sinful. Something about swimming that makes the team meeting later—


what meeting?

3 to eternity

because you

1. have a face i can wake up to each morning
2. respect people by being punctual
3. are good to my family and try in your way to get to know them.
4. can cook and don't think it's only a woman's job
5. would like me to cook for you.
6. do the housework and don't think it's only a woman's job
7. are appreciative of me when I do tasks you normally don't like to do, but dont expect it of me.
8. enjoy reading
9. recommend good books to me
10.crack jokes that make me laugh out loud
11.are not petty
12.are not afraid to cry
13.are objective
14.remember the things i like
15.will not leave me to my own devices or defences
16.are a family boy and who love your parents and brother, and it shows.
17.forgive me
18.remind me to pray
19.remind me to be grateful
20.are creative
21.make the effort in everything you do
22.are tall. and I like tall guys
23.like both chess and soccer because that way your character has been influenced by these two hobbies.
24.like to eat but are not fussy about your food
25.are a good example of being abstemious
26.are intelligent and discrete
27.are generous with your time, thoughts, person and money
28.have direction and continue to trust in the Lord to make your way straight.
29.write very well. And 'words' happen to be one of my love languages.
30.like to buy things for me and appreciate the things I buy for you.
31.are patient with my moods.
32.are appreciative of my appearance and presentation and reassure me, though it may not be the most important thing.
33.appreciate my piano-playing and encourage me in it
34.work on things I am particular about. (like not eating loudly)
35.are good with kids like your brother, and are like a brother to your friends.
36.are a disciplined person.
37.have parents that brought you up the way they did, for the person you have become to be.
38.and I met in Australia, and have precious moments there that I will keep closely to my heart.
39.are interested in Psychology, and I, social work, because it is a great talking point.
40.make contact with me several times a day to say you love me.
41.make effort in your appearance but are not vain.
42.have life priorities that I would want in my life partner
43.are someone whom i can share my problems and talk about my work with.
44.share with me about your work and knowledge
45.calm me down when I am angry
46.help me verbalise my thoughts when they are a lump of mumble jumble
47.and I have room to grow as a couple in Christ.
48.and I both want to keep dogs.
49.have parents happen to be in the fields that I am in. I believe God has well organised this.
50.and I met in Zion. Not an unlikely place and period. But the best, grace-filled place and period.
51.and I are melancholics
52.are a phlegmatic, and I a sanguine, so that with our differences, we are a nice fit.
53.do not mind taking public transport and walking. Although when tired we wished for a car (which we will get in 54.future for sure), this has made us grateful for the cheap, simple things.
55.were brought up in a middle-class family, like mine. For that, some of our life perspectives are the same.
56.are careful with your money knowing that it's the Lord's resources too.
57.have nice facial features like big eyes, sharp nose, good complexion and well-shaped lips.
58.look for the good in adverse situations
59.hate sin but love the sinner.
60.like to hold my hand and accept hugs
61.like to shop when many guys find it pointless.
62.respect my need for quiet and space.
63.take interest in my friends and knows some of their names
64.and i have mutual friends, and this number is growing.
65.have friends that i like and who like me.
66.like fixing up the christmas tree with me
67.are not fixated on physical beauty and encourage me not to as well.
68.and i can just sit and count the number of people wearing shorts, and enjoy such activity together.
69.are sensitive to my compulsions and fears.
70.and I have walked in storms before. both Literally and figuratively.
71.don't nag me too much
72.are alert even when you are tired. that to me is mental strength and discipline.
73.will rest when you are tired. that to me is discipline.
74.will watch a movie with me and don't mind it when I fall asleep in it.
75.offer to send me home.
76.meet me for lunch at my workplace whenever you can.
77.are pedantic but do not impose your expectations on others.
78.like walking through museums, like me.
79.do not enjoy gore and terror movies, like me.
80.try to mean yes when you say "yes", and no, when you say "no".
81.do not take things too seriously, or at least try not to.
82.have an opinion everytime I ask for one.
83.pronounce your words properly and are not a lazy talker except for the occasional "rapsberries" and " warps"
84.are not lazy.
85.sit through shows like "america's next top model" although you have great disdain for them. because you know I 86.watch them.
87.eat baked beans with me, and bread with peanut butter.
88.have sensible fashion sense.
89.rebuke me when you think I have gotten out of line.
90.do not think that considering nice names for his children next time is a scary activity.
91.are romantic not in the way of a dozen red roses, but more a story writer of a dozen roses.
92.consider me in the decisions that you make
93.help me in my decision making.
94.believe in learning something new everyday!
95.are confident in your strengths
96.know that you are not perfect but take comfort in knowing that you are being perfected each day.
97.are a frank person.
98.constantly return to God to please Him.
99.are nice to your female friends.
100.pursued me in exactly the way that I wanted even though it was out of your comfort zone.
101.strive to be a healthy person by "eating slowly"
102.are adept in your english language
103.are patient with my baby steps to improve and do not expect me to take quantum leaps.
104.have good taste in female bags, shoes and clothes and help me choose things.
105.are thorough in your undertakings, from jotting down schedules to planning activities to the littlest details.
106.have varied tastes in books and movies across genres and times periods.
107.you size people up on first meeting, but also gives them the benefit of doubt.
108.don't fall sick frequently, though you have the most wrenching morning cough and back/knee pains. (pregnant?)
109.do jigsaw puzzles
110.are extremely practical. Even though sometimes I am frustrated with that, I know that it's also a virtue to have.
111.help your mom with gardening, and have bought your own vegetable seeds, though I have yet to see the crops of your labour. We will get our own garden soon.
112. are not mushy and cliche.

113.have taught me what it is to be in a relationship with someone.