So more about my swimming class. Today the instructor, lets call him Mr W, taught us the first swimming stroke. The class was interesting. And yes, I had the excitement of being so close to swimming. So this is how they do it, types. Except that I am not so close. I am far from far.
The only thing I can do right in water yet, is prone float like a still dead body (face down). That is my only achievement till now. I can kick and float and move forward in water from one end of the pool to the other (of course only 4-5 feet deep) but it is clumsy and I also lose my direction sense. So if I start from like a corner of the rectangle and am supposed to move straight along that line to the other corner, I end up moving in a trajectory at the diagonally opposite corner with a deviation of like 20-30 degrees. That is very bad. If you are with me in the swimming pool, it can be fun for you- sitting and making guesses, which point will she hit this time?
So, yes, swimming is not as easy as I thought. I think it has a lot to do with coordination. I mean, you need to be doing more than one things at a time and the moment you lose that, you are into the water. I think people who are good at sports or at least dancing, may be faster learners. I can see a bunch in my class, who do it right the very first time. My brain is still learning to multi-task. Given this, I think it shall take me at least 4-5 instructors with full swimming lessons to reach a stage which is called swimming. But that is not going to be much of a problem because I love being in water. And at least my fear of water (at least upto 5 feet deep) is going away. If I still look at the 10 feet deep side, I get shudders though. But I am not giving up.
In between the class just for increasing our enthu, Mr. W clapped and asked us to take a short break and answer this question, "What is heavier? A quintal of Cotton or a quintal of steel?" And guess what. Someone shouted and answered back with tremendous enthusiasm, "A quintal of steel!" And we all had a laugh. Just FYI, the person who answered that was me. This is such a cliched trap question and I fall for it everytime. How I look at it is that I make people happy by my absent-mindedness. What say?
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By the way, there is this short story that I want to share. It is generally told at the Vipassana meditation camps, but since it is related to swimming and is such a sweet story, I thought I'll mention it here. There is this huge ship taking people from one continent to another. It has people from various cultures, societies, classes and backgrounds. Incidentally, there is a research professor who studies geology and all this weather and ocean science etc. And then there is a small sailor who gets really impressed by the knowledge of this professor. They start having this conversation.
The professor (say P), says, "So what is your education level." Sailor (say S) humbly shakes his head and says, "I have had not much education sir. I just do sailing and travel around the world and earn my livelihood." P asks, "So, since you are a sailor you must have at least studied geology?" S manages, "No sir not at all". P flabbergasted, "If you have not studied geology, then you have wasted one quarter of your whole life!" Continues, "Have you at least studied Oceanography?" S shakes again and then P, even more disappointed says, "Man! You are a sailor and you have not studied oceanography? Then you have wasted half of your life!" S looks sad and shameful now. P continues further, "Have you at least studied a bit of meteorology?" S shakes again and digs his chin into his chest, feeling really hopeless at how much he does not know. Completely taken aback at how little the sailor knows about all these important sciences, P says, "Hey man! You have wasted three quarters of your life! I feel so bad for you." The conversation breaks here.
The next day dawns. The professor is sitting proudly amidst a group of admirers boastfully telling stories of science and advancements and all that. Suddenly, there is chaos on the ship and the sailor comes running to the professor and cries, "Have you studied swimology sir?" P -"Swimology? what do you mean?" S, "Swimming sir, I mean did you learn swimming?". "No", the professor replies hastily at which S remarks, "Then professor you have wasted all your life. The ship has struck a rock and is sinking. Those who know how to swim can manage upto an island nearby , others will only die, sir. I am sorry, sir".
The relevance of this story in life (as told in Vipassana camps), is about differentiating between knowledge gained by reading/hearing/listening/rationalizing (the Intellect) and knowledge gained by experience (the wisdom). And that it is only this knowledge gained by experience (wisdom) that is superior and guides us through our tumultous times.
So, another reason for me to learn swimming! *smile* Swimology!
An update: I am still where I was a week ago in swimming. The moment I try to do the swim stroke I lose my balance. :-(
The only thing I can do right in water yet, is prone float like a still dead body (face down). That is my only achievement till now. I can kick and float and move forward in water from one end of the pool to the other (of course only 4-5 feet deep) but it is clumsy and I also lose my direction sense. So if I start from like a corner of the rectangle and am supposed to move straight along that line to the other corner, I end up moving in a trajectory at the diagonally opposite corner with a deviation of like 20-30 degrees. That is very bad. If you are with me in the swimming pool, it can be fun for you- sitting and making guesses, which point will she hit this time?
So, yes, swimming is not as easy as I thought. I think it has a lot to do with coordination. I mean, you need to be doing more than one things at a time and the moment you lose that, you are into the water. I think people who are good at sports or at least dancing, may be faster learners. I can see a bunch in my class, who do it right the very first time. My brain is still learning to multi-task. Given this, I think it shall take me at least 4-5 instructors with full swimming lessons to reach a stage which is called swimming. But that is not going to be much of a problem because I love being in water. And at least my fear of water (at least upto 5 feet deep) is going away. If I still look at the 10 feet deep side, I get shudders though. But I am not giving up.
In between the class just for increasing our enthu, Mr. W clapped and asked us to take a short break and answer this question, "What is heavier? A quintal of Cotton or a quintal of steel?" And guess what. Someone shouted and answered back with tremendous enthusiasm, "A quintal of steel!" And we all had a laugh. Just FYI, the person who answered that was me. This is such a cliched trap question and I fall for it everytime. How I look at it is that I make people happy by my absent-mindedness. What say?
* *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *
By the way, there is this short story that I want to share. It is generally told at the Vipassana meditation camps, but since it is related to swimming and is such a sweet story, I thought I'll mention it here. There is this huge ship taking people from one continent to another. It has people from various cultures, societies, classes and backgrounds. Incidentally, there is a research professor who studies geology and all this weather and ocean science etc. And then there is a small sailor who gets really impressed by the knowledge of this professor. They start having this conversation.
The professor (say P), says, "So what is your education level." Sailor (say S) humbly shakes his head and says, "I have had not much education sir. I just do sailing and travel around the world and earn my livelihood." P asks, "So, since you are a sailor you must have at least studied geology?" S manages, "No sir not at all". P flabbergasted, "If you have not studied geology, then you have wasted one quarter of your whole life!" Continues, "Have you at least studied Oceanography?" S shakes again and then P, even more disappointed says, "Man! You are a sailor and you have not studied oceanography? Then you have wasted half of your life!" S looks sad and shameful now. P continues further, "Have you at least studied a bit of meteorology?" S shakes again and digs his chin into his chest, feeling really hopeless at how much he does not know. Completely taken aback at how little the sailor knows about all these important sciences, P says, "Hey man! You have wasted three quarters of your life! I feel so bad for you." The conversation breaks here.
The next day dawns. The professor is sitting proudly amidst a group of admirers boastfully telling stories of science and advancements and all that. Suddenly, there is chaos on the ship and the sailor comes running to the professor and cries, "Have you studied swimology sir?" P -"Swimology? what do you mean?" S, "Swimming sir, I mean did you learn swimming?". "No", the professor replies hastily at which S remarks, "Then professor you have wasted all your life. The ship has struck a rock and is sinking. Those who know how to swim can manage upto an island nearby , others will only die, sir. I am sorry, sir".
The relevance of this story in life (as told in Vipassana camps), is about differentiating between knowledge gained by reading/hearing/listening/rationalizing (the Intellect) and knowledge gained by experience (the wisdom). And that it is only this knowledge gained by experience (wisdom) that is superior and guides us through our tumultous times.
So, another reason for me to learn swimming! *smile* Swimology!
An update: I am still where I was a week ago in swimming. The moment I try to do the swim stroke I lose my balance. :-(
