Mom's Backyard

Sitting in my mom’s backyard brought back many memories of when I was a child and I can remember that the others kids congregated here.  The backyard has changed through the years, but the interaction from when I was young has not changed much as I watch my daughters and their friends enjoying the pool.  My mom had a pool put in back in the 70’s.  It was an in-ground pool and had all the extras, diving board, slide, deep end and shallow.  We had some great times there.

When summer comes we always wanted to be the first one in so we could claim the bragging rights.  This has not changed as I see the same competiveness in my children as she saw in us.  Her greatest concern was that we learned to swim.  I truly cannot remember not being able too.  She has always told us that we could swim before we walked, my sister and I.  I can understand her concern as my two daughters were introduced into the water world at a very young age.  Teaching them young to appreciate the water and respect it is the best lesson to learn. 

From the time were babies she had us in the pool as I have heard her tell the stories many times.  We had baby floats and she would take us in and let us float at her side, sometimes even as we slept.  We were always protected from the sun.  As we grew she bought us “floaties” for our arms and this to us was a big deal.  She would now let us venture into the deep water when she was in the pool.  “Floaties” led to life jackets and then finally freedom, no floatation devices at all

I have seen this same sequence of events take place in my daughter’s lives.  Being a swimmer myself I hoped that my children would take to the water as I did.   And low and behold they swim like fishes and enjoy this sport immensely.

Years have passed, the backyard has been altered, but the feelings and the enjoyment are there and I am sure they will be there in our memories for a long, long time.