Summer Fun Series: Swimming Pools

Going to swim at the local community swimming pools was a huge part of my life when we were growing up. During the summer, we'd spend almost every day at the pool. We'd meet friends, practice our fancy dives, and get frozen snickers bars from the snack bar that always smelled like french-fries. At the end of the day, our eyes would be bloodshot and our hair smelled of chlorine, but we'd be glowing with deep rich tans.

I could probably count on one hand the number of times we've been to a swimming pool in the last 5 years. There really is no excuse because the pool is less than 5 minutes from our house! So when our daughter begged to go to the pool one Sunday, what could we say?

We got there early before the crowd and had the whole place to ourselves. My daughter was thrilled! She flew down the slide over and over - we joined her a few times. What fun skidding at top speed then splashing uncontrollably in the water. She showed us her new tricks: cannonballs, backflips, front flips, touching the bottom of the deep end, the list goes on!

A few times I swam around on my own. There is just something about being weightless in the brilliant silence of the water, sun rays filtering through the ripples and bubbles, making fascinating patterns on the bottom. I've always loved to swim, I could stay in the water for hours. For me, it's the ultimate freedom.

In a few short hours, the pool began to attract more visitors and the noise level slowly started to rise. The screams, the laughter, and the splashing brought back so many memories of my childhood summers that I had to grin. It was absolute bliss. On a hot summer day, there is nothing better than a day at the pool, floating in crisp, cool water with not a care in the world!