Rescue

We all go through seasons in life where we sink or swim.

As I get older, I'm seeing we all have times where we're swimming into the waves, strong and steady, no fear of sinking. And then there are the days we need a life raft just to stay afloat in calm waters.

I've been so blessed the past year to find my "life raft" in a number of ways- family, friends, faith, exercise, creativity, a new kitten, a new house. These things all came floating into my life just when I needed a bit of rescuing.

Yesterday, I started swimming again as I train for a sprint triathlon in January. I love swimming. I love drowning out all outside noise, sinking myself into the water and stroking my way across the pool. I feel so powerful when I'm swimming; it's kind of an out-of-body thing. I don't really see myself from a birds eye view when I'm running or biking- but when I'm swimming, I do.

In a triathlon, the swim portion always comes first. Maybe that's because they don't want you to exhaust yourself biking and running before jumping in a pool. They don't want you to sink.

I'm a strong swimmer- and I'm currently swimming into the current, unfazed. I'm tackling new challenges, pushing myself outside my comfort zone. I'm happy and content. I'm jumping into the deep end, and I'm not sinking.

It's so hard watching someone who is sinking, struggling to keep their head above water; in fact, it feels like you're on a life raft watching the Titanic go down.

It's in these moments you realize you have to be a life raft to someone else.

I have let certain friendships drift away, because that person is incapable of getting out of the life boat. They don't reach out a hand, or come to the rescue.

I have been rescued before. And today I'm jumping into the deep end.  

Because I can, because I'm strong enough to. And because I'm ready to do some rescuing back.