Swimming Along, But Not Alone.

A week or so before Christmas, my wife and I were out on our daily walk to get some exercise while getting the daily newspaper. As we were walking along the main side street, near home I noticed a white vehicle slow up and stop right near us. At first I thought they must have been lost and stopping to ask us for direction. Then I realised it was a former employer of mine who lives on the other side of the highway (not that far from Us, as the Crow flies,) but often uses this street to get to the next suburb.

Seeing us he had stopped to find out what we were doing in this area, as he knew we didn’t live there before when I worked for them. Then he enquired why we were walking and I said for exercise. Then he said, (as I already knew) that he used to do a lot of walking but had to give it up because it was hard on his knee, (which I didn’t know!) I also didn’t know, but soon found out that he had taken up swimming about 12 months earlier and did it three mornings a week.

At the mention of swimming I mentioned that my then Physiotherapist had previously strongly suggested that I take up swimming for my back problems. I may also have mentioned that that had been 6-months ago and although I seriously considered it, I had still not gotten around to doing anything about it yet.

Then he invited me to join him and I said I would definitely join him but that I still had to buy a pair of bathers as I had left my last pair in South Africa some 5 years ago. That also may give you some idea of how bad a swimmer I am also. Anyway that very weekend I went out and bought a pair of bathers, but it took me till late January to actually ring him up and officially accept his offer,

At this stage I have only committed myself to one day a week, but at least I have started, which I would never have done without his support. I knew I should be doing it. I knew I could probably do it, although I have never been a good swimmer, yet I would never have taken it up without some outside support. It didn’t take much, but just having another along side doing it too, helped me greatly to act upon my, till then only good intentions. And turned them form intentions into deeds. And it may even help you. We didn’t swim together either (I am definitely not in his league there!) But it was just enough for him to get me to the pool that made the difference, in me making the commitment to try.

How about you? Is there some thing you would like to do but just need a little support and encouragement? Or maybe you know someone else who needs a bit of support and encouragement that you can get along side and encourage. If so, stop thinking about it and turn those intentions into actions. What say you? Walter