Have you experienced real fear that has had a debilitating effect on you? Have you wondered what it would be like to be fearless, or better still, to feel the fear and still take the plunge? The Bible says, ‘God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power love and a sound mind’. Interestingly, I have quoted this scripture many times but wondered if I have truly believed it until recently.
This is the story of a young teenage girl, who developed a fear of swimming, and for 39 years, missed out on the wonderful adventure of water sports. My fear of water, started at the age of 15 while learning to swim. Being an avid sportsperson, I was eager and impatient to get started. My brothers and I promptly enrolled for classes with friends and as with many teens, we naturally liked to show off. At the first opportunity, I did just that and without thinking, jumped into the deep end of the pool. I panicked and started to drown. Thankfully, the coach rescued me. LESSON 1: When learning a new skill, master the fundamentals first and patiently.
It took another 10 years before I ventured near a swimming pool again, by which time, fear was fully embedded. LESSON 2: fear is psychological. When you fall, get right back on the saddle.
Over the years, I always rented accommodation with a swimming pool in the hope that one day, I’d swim again. Though I tried many times, fear lurked in the corner, taunting me with the “What if…?” questions. What if you drown? What if you stop breathing? What if…what if? As a result, I missed out on some great holidays with family and friends.
Fast forward to 2020, the year of the pandemic and lockdown. No one could have envisaged the devastating impact on humans. Suddenly life took on a new meaning. I lost a number of friends to COVID-19 and began to wonder if I had achieved all I was meant to. Would I be found wanting by God? Ideas began to burst forth, abandoned projects revitalised, and fears resurfaced, with a desire to overcome. LESSON 3: when death stares you in the face, everything is up for grabs.
I embarked on a series of abandoned projects including learning how to swim properly. My first coach was incompetent but I painstakingly stuck through the sessions. LESSON 4: never give up! A bad start does not amount to a bad finish.
My second coach however came highly recommended, a specialist in coaching women and kids. She is awesome! Within six weeks, I became confident in the pool, learnt the breaststroke, freestyle, backstroke and breath control! LESSON 5: the right coach will guide you safely to your destination.
The only questions I ask myself now are ‘What have I got to lose’ and ‘What is the worst that could happen?’ “Feel the fear and do it anyway” because the world truly is our oyster!