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At the beginning of the week, my youngest daughter had what could have been a traumatic experience underwater. She swallowed water and went up and down, which was an eternity for her and me, who was watching. The teacher rescued her, and she left the pool crying. I asked for the head coach, who then conversed with her. I am grateful to have witnessed the shift from fear to courage in just a few minutes, from barely breathing to breathing profoundly and deciding to go back to the pool, as the head coach prepared her from the beginning of the conversation so that she would end the lesson on a high note. I notice two significant shifts during the conversation. The first was when he acknowledged her competitive spirit and the much she had already done in that session. The second shift was when he pointed all the staff, teachers, and lifeguards in and around the pool, who were looking for her and other children. For me, it meant: “I see you, the teachers see you, and when you are ready, you can enjoy learn to swim feeling safe. Someone will be there for you.” She returned to the water in a few minutes and finished the day on a high note. The next day, she was eager to return and, most strikingly, decided to jump from the highest diving platform, the snapshot you see. From near-drowning to flying!
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