Time is hurtling forward and somehow it’s October again. As I did last year, I’m participating in Coldtober this month.  Every October the Irish mental health organization, Helplink, puts on a daily cold water swim challenge called Coldtober to raise money and awareness for mental health.  

Last year, it was a no-brainer for me to participate–I was already swimming every day. This year, it feels like a good opportunity to reinvigorate my swimming. While I’m still swimming every week, the dailiness has disappeared and excuses have piled up. I miss the way having a daily challenge forced me out into the water even on the days I didn’t feel like swimming.

As I was leaving the house this morning, I thought to myself, well at least I don’t have to blog about it afterwards. Then, as Sheila and I were bobbing along in the calm, cool morning, she said, “And you’re going to write about it, right?” Which caused me to remember that I had said I would; that Coldtober represents an opportunity to not only reinvigorate my swimming but also this blog.

And, just like that, I was paying attention again. Paying attention in a way I have stopped doing on my swims since I stopped writing about them. I noticed the way the green water was dappled with bits of plastic and other garbage this morning. I felt the energy in the mostly calm water like a gentle churning below the surface. I felt the sun warm my face, contrasting with the cool temperature of the water (not cold yet). I saw the nearly full moon still high up in the sky, the slight tinges of pink in the clouds left over from sunrise. And I felt grateful for an excuse to be back to daily swimming and blogging (at least for the next 31 days).