He was getting all excited. Swimming trunk. Goggles. Float. All packed in the car. “I’m going swimming” he joyfully announced. Arrived we did at the swimming pool. Undress. Hopped into the cool waters.
Splash! .. Splish! …Splash ! …Splish! “Look, I’m swimming !” he yelled. Standing in the 2 feet pool, I watched the 9 year old claiming to be swimming as he played with the water. I wasn’t sure if I should correct him, to let him know that he wasn’t swimming at all. The action he so enjoyably engrossed himself in front of me, his arms weaving in and out the water is nothing more than creating waves in the pool. He had the right equipment, he was wearing his swimming trunk. He had the right tool, he was wearing his goggles. We were at the right place, he was in the swimming pool. His gesture was right, his hands were moving but yet not quite the exact momentum needed. How should I put it, phrase it to him ..he wasn’t swimming. I’ll break his tender heart. Perhaps he is swimming, I’m not sure.
What defines swimming ? What defines work ? What defines happiness ? What defines love ? What defines friendship ? Could it all just be an illusion, even if you think you have all the basic necessity, the basic recipe.
You are in your office suit. You are in your office. You stare at the computer. The screen flashes back at you. Your mind in deep thoughts. Are you working ? Your hands barely move an inch.
Few years back, a friend asked me what do I do at work. “I read and reply emails” I bluntly replied. “Thats not work” the rebut came to me. 4 years down the road, the same friend of mine only read and replies emails at work. Work it seemed now to her. Funny how the perception changed.
I couldn’t find the reasons to let him know he wasn’t swimming. I can’t justify it, I just didn’t know how to. So I kept quiet. Denial. He will grow up thinking that what he was doing in that pool, was indeed swimming. Just like how we perceive work, happiness, love and friendship. Our parents never thought us that, our teachers never explain those valuable lessons to us in school. They never will, never can. Its an illusion we learn to realize the truth.
