When you're weary, feeling small ..

Last week I was following a hearse across the Westgate Bridge.

If ever I needed a sign well this had to be it!

There have been several times of late when I have honestly believed that the Westgate Bridge could be the end of me. Thank God for the suicide barriers that took so long to put up we all nearly threw ourselves over the edge anyway.

The traffic was a major nightmare that morning.
Tunnels closed and gridlocks city wide.
Actually it’s a major nightmare every morning and the afternoons are even worse!  
The bridge was killing me.

But now I am looking at this situation from a whole different perspective.
I think the bridge could actually be the saving of me!

You see just lately I have been feeling a little lethargic. And a tiny bit acerbic, not so enthusiastic and lacking in the aerobic. And longing for the nostalgic while trying to stay realistic. The mornings are too hectic but I am absolutely emphatic that I am not being overdramatic!!

And then it came to me.

If I was 'up and at em’ earlier I could zoom across that bridge sooner rather than later and hit the pool farther rather than nearer.
And so I did. I joined MSAC – platinum member, why start small?

My first morning I was in a little bit of a quandary. Sheepishly I must admit I was very nervous actually.
Most of these early morning swimmers are the real deal. Most of them!

I needed to look back a rather long way to remember when I was the real deal!

The lanes in the pool are signposted - slow, medium and fast.

I didn’t really consider myself slow but the people in the medium lane looked pretty pacey to me.

 

 

So with a little trepidation I slid down into the slow lane. Only to end up following a breaststroker. A very slow breaststroker. Kind of reminded me of a spider swimming sideways. This was not a good start to reducing my stress levels.

So I swapped lanes.

Medium. Now I’ve always wanted stop traffic but not in such an overt manner ..

Back to the bridge...it had actually taken me until half way across the bridge to realise it was a hearse. Initially it had dawned on me that I was following a very long car.
With a curtain ..
I noticed the driver playing with her hair. Fluffing it up and flicking it around the place. Now I know it was a long crawl across the river and distraction was required - but even I who have the greatest love for all things hair considered this a little inappropriate!

Not that there was a body in there but still ..

Last weekend I had my locks chopped off.

In hindsight last week was a really big week.

It wasn’t the realisation that I will never be a mermaid because I still harbour great hope for the future!
It was just that I couldn’t show up to school everyday looking like I had just been washed up.
As SJP once said – we don’t just wake up looking this gorgeous!  
Well okay then I’m not in the mood to argue with you ..
But I needed adequate time to look a little respectable ..

The first morning I hit the pool I was a little baffled because I couldn’t see a clock. Anywhere. It’s been a long time since I have swum in an outdoor 50 metre pool. I had well and truly lost track of time and distance.

To any swimmer there is nothing like swimming to take yourself away.
Or take yourself back.

I could see the training clock but not the time clock.
It all seemed rather odd.
Until I spotted it behind me - from water level hidden from view by the diving block.

It seems that sometimes you really do need to look back to see how far you’ve come.

And I really needed to get out of the pool quickly and I really needed to get going!

Since I have commenced ‘training’  I feel I have improved slightly already. This morning as I was swimming in the opposite direction with perfect view of the time clock it dawned on me that while it is good that you can look behind to see how far you've come - it is equally important and wonderful to also look ahead to see how far you have left to go.

And hopefully there's a little time for curls!

This week I think I have found my stride.

And my lane.
I am not in the Tomorrowland lane.
And I am not in the Fantasyland lane.
I guess I am in Lover’s Lane.
Because I really love starting each day this way.
It’s fantastic.

Sail on Silver Girl,
Sail on by.

Your time has come to shine,

All your dreams are on their way.