The Neighborhood Pool: Cheaper Than Therapy

"Some of the best memories are made in flip flops." --Kellie Elmore

The sticky, steamy air clung to me like a fog bank hugging a mountain. My skin was slick with sweat and my mind was cluttered with too many thoughts that the summer heat wasn't helping to abate. I grabbed my swimsuit, quickly changed, slid my feet into a pair of my favorite flip flops, slathered on some SPF 45, snagged the pool bag, and headed off to cool my body and clear my head. I don't know why such a simple act like swimming has the power to wash away my troubles, but it does. Maybe it has something to do with the calming, soothing effects of water, in general. Perhaps it's the distinct quiet that shuts off most of the outside noises when your head goes under water and reduces the noise to an "off-in-the-distance" kind of garble. Whatever the reason, I'm grateful that it works.

I listened to the happy chatter from the neighborhood kids at play in the water. They played games that were familiar from my own childhood, like "Marco, Polo" (which has become a Schaefer family tradition when any of us are out in public and get separated...that's how we find each other, by walking through wherever saying, "Marco" and listening for the required "Polo" response). The kids also made up their own games as they laughed, splashed and played--happy, carefree. I wanted to capture that "simple joy" and take it with me when I left, but unfortunately life doesn't work that way. When I got in my car to drive home, the summer spell was broken the moment I shut the door. As I pulled into my own driveway, I knew that all was not lost. Some of my worries had been left behind for the pool filters to sort out, having seeped out of my brain while my head was under water. The rest I'll attempt to drown again when I go back to the pool tomorrow!

*Image from www.gograph.com.

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