I Wasn't Blessed With Coordination

But I was blessed with determination. 

I've had two swim lessons so far. I think I was expecting to get everything she showed me on the first try. Being an adult and all, I figured she'd show me something, maybe correct me once or twice, and bada bing, I'm a swimmer. Ha ha! Now I know why I love running so much. I don't have to think, I just go! Whenever something requires any sort of technique, I struggle a lot! (For example, my first Zumba class. Oh how I wish I had that gym class on video. I'm sure it would get me rolling on the floor in laughter every time. I left half way through, and I'll never step foot in a Zumba class again.) 

Swimming looks so natural when I watch other people do it. I didn't even realize how much coordination it requires! My coach shows me a move and I think, "OK no problem." Then I awkwardly try to complete it over and over while politely being corrected over and over. Part of the problem is that I think too hard about it. I cannot wait until I get to the point where I can just go, like riding a bicycle.  

As I was driving home from my swim lesson today, I started to wonder if maybe I just wasn't cut out for this swimming thing. I love it, but I can't seem to figure out how to move my arms correctly without flailing them in all sorts of weird positions, and breath without lifting my head four inches out of the water. Then I had a major epiphany. I realized nothing in life has ever come easy to me, so why should swimming be any different? I'm not one of those people blessed with natural abilities and talents, but I have been blessed with some serious determination and a love for hard work. I'll get it some day. I just need practice, lots of practice. Just like everything else in my life. Looking back, I seriously can't think of anything that I was naturally good at. Some of my friends might contradict this and say that I'm naturally good at running, but if they only knew where I started and how long it took me to get to where I'm at. I'm not saying that I consider myself a good runner, I'm just saying that the running ability I do have is not a natural talent. It's lots and lots of hard work and persistence. 

I'm probably not doing as awful as I feel like I am because my cute swim teacher told me tonight that she enjoyed coaching me because I get it faster than the kids she coaches. I took that as a great compliment because I was seriously  wondering if I was catching on faster than her 3 year olds. I find great comfort in the fact that I am. :) It gives me hope, and some more determination to get it someday.

What's something you don't know how to do that you've always wanted to learn? 

Besides swimming, I want to be able to play pretty songs on the piano! It's never too late to learn! Sure, maybe the guy at the pool was staring at our swim lessons like, "I can't believe that girl is just barely learning how to swim." But I don't really care. All I care about is that I will know how to swim soon enough. 

Are you a natural learner, or do you have to work for it? 

My husband is a natural learner. A man of many abilities and talents. I would get so jealous when we were in college at his ability to ace tests after studying for an hour or so. I had to study my little butt off ALL the time.