A Tender Moment to Remember

I don’t know why I woke up thinking about this photograph. Maybe I dreamed about it.
But I had it on my mind this morning, so I went and dug it out of old albums to take a look.

I don’t remember the name of this swim coach, but I can tell you the story of this day, and why it matters.

It’s my first swim meet ever- the summer of 1986. I’m sitting on the benches where they lined the swimmers up, in order of event, to get us ready to compete.

Here I am- age 6- filled with nerves, desperate to back down from this race.

It was only one lap, 25 meters. A freestyle. But I was so nervous that I felt like I was going to throw up. I had told my mother I couldn't do it. I wanted to quit the swim team. She convinced me to give it one more try.

Here, either my mother or my dad has captured the coach taking the time to sit with me, to encourage me.

What did he say? I don’t remember- but the photograph is full of tenderness. A sweet moment between a coach and a young swimmer he cared enough about to have a heart-to-heart with, to encourage.

The image forever captures the kindness of a mentor who nurtured a talented swimmer who was too filled with self-doubt, even to try.

Whatever he said in this moment made me believe in myself enough to get me on the starting block and to dive in for the race.
I won that day.

And 2 years later I was the fastest 25 meter freestyle swimmer in the city we lived in.

But what’s more impactful to me, even, than the memory of this tender moment, is the realization that we all need this kind of encouragement.

We’re never too old, or too successful, or too accomplished to stop needing people who believe in us, when we can’t find it to believe in ourselves.

I'm certainly grateful to those friends and loved ones- life’s cheerleaders- who’ve taken the time to encourage me in moments of loss, doubt, or confusion.

Because no one is ever above that need, no matter how far they’ve come in life.

Inside, we never stop being the 6 year old kid who still needs to be told that she can do it, if she will only give it a try.