My NSV

5 days a week I go to swim laps at the High School while the water aerobics class was going. here Yesterday there were about 15 women who were taking the class including a young woman with Down Syndrome who attends daily with her mother. Jenny mostly splashes around in the shallow pool, rarely interacting with others.

One of the lifeguards(Sherry) has taken Jenny under her wing, getting her more comfortable putting her face in the water, blowing bubbles, etc. Today Sherry gave Jenny a kickboard and encouraged her to hold onto it while Sherry pulled her around. Soon Jenny began kicking her feet while Sherry pulled her. The rest of us ladies noticed and broke out in whoops and cheers of encouragement. Then Sherry got out of the pool and with a big grin on her face watched as Jenny kicked back and forth across the pool, all on her own. Celebratory cheers rose again and as the class ended, everyone gave Jenny high 5's, hugs and told her how inspiring she was.
I wish you could have seen the smile on Jenny's face, she was so proud of herself and loved all the hugs she received! I am in awe of Sherry who took the time to help Jenny realize that she is capable of facing one of her fears and triumphing over it.

This morning while swimming laps, I was still so inspired by Jenny and gave myself the motto of "Jenny would try" and began thinking of something I could try to do while swimming. I haven't done a flip turn for well over 30 years because of a back surgery, so decided that I would try it for every lap that I swim freestyle. I learned that while I can swim 2 miles at a stretch, I need practice on my turns, but I did them and got better at them the more I swam.

I think that once I am more practiced at my flip turns, I just may try to relearn the butterfly. Because Jenny would try.