Staying Afloat

Something about being in the water for me is so healing, almost zen-like. Perhaps it's due to years and years of swimming laps back and forth across a 25-yard pool, eyes reaching for the black line on the bottom, almost in a semi-meditative state. Let me tell you, many a dilemma or issue from my teen years (and even into college) was digested and analyzed over and over again during 6 a.m. workouts with steam rising off the water and a crisp chill in the air. Or the thrill in my childhood of catching a wave at the beach with nothing more than the strength of my legs and arms to get me up and over the crest, the sheer force of the wave propelling me toward the shore while I clenched my eyes tightly but loved every second of it.

I think it's safe to say that the water also has a curative effect on Norm. I have yet to ever see him return from a decent surf session with anything other than sheer satisfaction emanating from his salt-soaked pores (and sand-encrusted toes that inevitably leave remnants across the kitchen tile ....).

So the fact that Lauren has taken to the water, well, like a fish? Well, of course it's just as it should be.





Yes it's true that being submerged in water can be challenging and require incredibly hard work to stay afloat. But if you just focus on putting one arm in front of the other, taking one stroke at a time, not only will you remain buoyant, but soon enough you will be swimming with the ease and grace of a dolphin, at one with yourself and the expanse of blue.