I'm sitting here waiting for trick-o-treaters. I have been working such long hours, and with the retreat last weekend, I'm completely wiped out. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I get up at 5:50 to swim. That makes Tuesdays and Thursdays VERY long days.
There's a man that I met at the pool the other day. He comes to the pool with one leg. I thought how courageous he must be to not be embarassed about having to show everyone his disability. He's a wonderfully nice person. I remember many years ago asking John what he would do if he ever lost one or more legs in an accident. John said "I'd do whatever I needed to do and get on with my life." I was so proud of him when he said that, and I thought, "I've married the right man." This man at the pool has that same sort of attitude. He's been without his leg for 10 years, so for all I know he spent 8 of it moping about and trying to kill himself, I don't know. I do know that he seems totally comfortable with himself now, and that's a really nice quality.
If I had to live my life over again, I think the only thing that I would change would be how I used to judge people superficially. I used to be afraid of people with cancer, and uncomfortable around people with disabilities. My cancer has helped me to cut through all of that and see people for who they are. For just that awareness, I'm thankful for my cancer.
Anyhow, this man and I shared the same lane today. Towards the end of our workouts we both had one lap left. He said, "why don't you swim your last lap as fast as you can. Try to beat 1 minute. I'll time you." I said, "ok". So he did a ready-set-go, and I swam as hard as I could for one lap. I swam it in 59 seconds. I was pretty impressed with myself. I really don't know if that's fast or not, but I definitely surprised myself. For his last lap, he swam it on one breath. It was really half a lap, down to the other side, where he got out. Still, he did it on one breath. I didn't think he'd be able to do it. It was neat. The swimming pool is a really cool place. The people are interesting, and it's so much like play. We don't play enough in our lives.
7:22:43 PM 
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