The pool is closed. We put the cover on it yesterday, but not before I took one last swim. The water was a cool 72 degrees. The air was just a little warmer, and the sun was shining through a clear blue sky. The sparkling fresh water was just daring me to jump in. I did it. The water was cold and a little bit of a shock, but I jumped in anyway, and in the process, found joy.
There is something about acts like this that lift my sprit. I don’t know why. I hope it’s not a character flaw. What I THINK I like, is to be comfortable. To sit and relax. To do the easy things. To do the usual, normal things. But what I find brings me joy is to suck it up every now and then and force myself to do something just a little out of that box. I couldn’t resist the urge to add to my “Fun things I did this year” resume: Went swimming in October. Been there, done that. What’s next?