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deletedAug 27, 2023Liked by Rebecca Holden
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deletedAug 26, 2023Liked by Rebecca Holden
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Well done for disarming that rude person with a smile. I had a teacher like that too: made me feel useless because I couldn't swim fast. Still, I enjoy swimming and cycling, you enjoy swimming and running, so who cares about such people now? 😉

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Aug 26, 2023Liked by Rebecca Holden

❤️ “paddled doggedly” intentional pun I’m sure!

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That painting is just the loveliest view. Swimmers so often look back to the shore and to see the shore portrayed is perfect.

Your swimming - what an awful beginning you had. I suspect if you had been a child in Australia, the situation would have been entirely different - swimming is part of life here. But in any event, it doesn't matter. You're in the water and doing it your way and enjoying it, that is all that matters. Go you!

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I’m really enjoying the evolution and solidification of your art style; rich use of colour yet there’s this ethereal quality to the work. (Now that I see those words, I think that’s how I’d describe your writing, too.)

Also, I’d like to paraphrase the Canadian character “Bubbles” in response to those boys and that wretch of a teacher, but this is a family comment threads. So a big smile it is 😃

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"Yes, yes, yes!" I said silently as I read and chuckled my way through this post. There are so many great descriptors, these are two of my favs: "...an unsympathetic woman with little aptitude for teaching and an undisguised dislike for children" and this about the very friendly lady with a beautiful freestyle stroke who would stop to chat sans covering, "I admired her self-confidence, but found it hard to know where (not) to look." So many faces from my past popped into my head as I read through; it's as if moments in our past are parallel. Loved this!

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Aug 26, 2023Liked by Rebecca Holden

What a beautiful gift your dad gave you by telling you that how you swim, how you are, is lovely. 💛

It’s a remind to me this morning that however I am, it’s exactly what I need to be. And that doing life my way makes a difference! There’s no need for perfection. Finding joy in things I’m not good at it is my ongoing quest.

Thank you for sharing!

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Aug 26, 2023Liked by Rebecca Holden

My experiences exactly!

I always seemed to get water up my nose and get a terrible burning sensation

I hardly ever swim although we live by the sea

I paddle ...

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Such gorgeous descriptions of swimming and it evoked such memories especially the wheat crunchies! I wonder if we take for granted that we had those swimming lessons, even if they were excruciating as I see them becoming a thing of the past. The most embarrassing thing I remember is forgetting my pants and having to borrow something from lost property, which turned out to be a pair of trunks! 😬. I'm still not the best swimmer, but have recently braved our local swimming baths again. I miss the sea too and also haven't been this year. There's still time...............

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Lovely all around. All that’s missing is a video of you swimming ... I would love to see that stroke!

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The paintings are beautiful!

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Your evocation of the locker room, and the naked swimmer, remind me of the terror I too felt when confronted with unclothed swim-adjacent human beasts while chlorine reeked around me. It was one of the shocks of my young life to be naked amidst other naked boys and adults. I took that Garden of Eden lesson of “shame” and “nakedness” fully to heart. Childhood terror #647.

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I love this story, Rebecca- you finding joy in something you could have easily been turned off by forever. As a fellow water baby, I just love hearing about your love of the water

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The rites of swimming passage seem more an initiation! Your stories evoke many a swimming/sinking memory! And where do they find these teachers?! It's like, life is hard, so we're going to try to kill ya to make you tuff!

The art is amazing. Someday I may dabble. You kept us rolling; and I'm glad you're still friends with that water stuff!

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Oh my gosh, I've got so much to say about this post. I LOVE swimming, floating, wading, paddling... if I'm in the water, I'm happy. Shame on your teacher, I felt so angry reading your story. And also the fool laughing and pointing at you. Goodness sakes, what is wrong with people? I'm so happy you had the courage, determination and strength to keep swimming! That photo says it all. No one was going to keep that happy little water baby down! 💜💜💜

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