Embarrassment 101

Phew. Wiping my brow, breathing a sigh of relief, and indulging in a cookie (or five) after finally finishing my two-week long lifeguarding class! I passed the written and the practical no more than an hour ago, meaning that my $200 investment in the training, and ample summer job opportunities, will not be going to waste. So, hooray! In the future, if you ever find yourself in some deep water (yes, literally), or ingesting/inhaling poison, or maybe even in emergency childbirth...I'm your girl. Just no severed body parts, avulsions, or lacerations. Did I mention I just ate my age in cookies?

Anyways, I'm proud of myself for finishing. I'm not a swimmer. Oh, believe me though, before last Friday night's pre-course test, I was totally a believer in my aquatic gifts. I mean, I've lived on a lake for 5+ years...I've played sports my whole life...I have instincts. "Yes, yes, you're a swimmer," I encouraged myself.

Turns out, floating around the lake all summer on surf boards...paddling around in a tippy canoe...maybe diving in once in a while to cool off between tans...doesn't count as swimming. My Washington brain will never understand these California fish. They take their lifeguarding EXTREMELY seriously down here. For good reason though, as most is done out on the open ocean. So, not only was I the only one in my class going for an out-of-state lifeguarding position, but I was also the only one who doesn't "swim" daily. And when I say "swim" this time, I really mean water polo state champions, Cal-Poly bound scholarship swimmers, and your average EMT professionals. (These, too, must renew their lifeguarding certificates annually). And then there's me...in my Costco bathing suit--no swim cap, no goggles. Needless to say, I'm thankful for their knowledge in the great absence of my own, as they encouraged me and guided me through the course.

Soooo, I'm not quite as cool as I sound. And as I swam/drowned my away across the lanes that Friday night, gasping/praying things only the Holy Spirit could comprehend, I realized that this was going to take a lot of work. I had signed up to be a Lifeguard, and that was the training I was going to receive. To wear the label, I had to first bear the weight.

Although this was a rather minor progress on the bigger scale, it still pushes me forward. I want to continue to face those things in my life that make me feel the most fearful and inadequate; I want to stare them down, successfully, knowing that they can't belittle my confidence. This may sound prideful, but it's nothing that I've got to prove to myself or anyone else. Rather, these little triumphs and daily victories build the courage to embrace the tougher situations in life. So, don't back down. Challenge yourself. Accept imperfections. Try those things you're terrified of. Explore the unimaginable. Live, fully.

And, remember, at the end of the day, you're still probably not as embarrassing as me.
:)