It’s the year of saying yes to swimming, so today I went for two swims. 

First with Arwen and Angie, back at our home spot: the Albany Bulb. It was totally calm, the water flat the air windless. It’s been this way for days, causing bad air quality, but it made for a peaceful, relaxing swim. Colleen, who was just getting out when we were getting in, took our picture and it practically looks tropical (though, I promise it was not). Pollution has a weird way of looking kind of lovely in photos.

Home for a shower and some food, I had only just begun warming up when Angie asked whether I wanted to go out for another swim. It was her sister-in-law’s birthday and she was heading to the bulb to celebrate. Eliana had come to my birthday swim so I felt especially inclined to reciprocate. But, also, it’s the year of saying yes to swimming and so out I went for another dip at the bulb. 

I like the idea of saying yes to things, but I tend to be a person who says no. Too often, “no” is my default. I’m resistant to change. Whatever I’m doing now is the thing I think I want to keep doing for the indefinite future. Maybe I’m just a grump. In any case, I like that this challenge to swim every day means I am saying yes when I might normally not. Maybe it will spill into the rest of my life?