[Hack&Lube]

I learned how to swim as a child (did the whole thing with green, yellow, maroon, blue, grey badges, etc.) from whatever organization it was (what was that?) since my immigrant parents insisted it was a skill I needed to have. It was hard. It was painful. They really push you and test you, even if you are an undersized kid. I hated every moment of it. The only solace was after showering and drying off and getting to buy some potato chips from the vending machine.

20 years later on, I hadn't swam in maybe a decade and I was in Hawaii. It just came back naturally and I was keeping up with wild dolphins in the open ocean that we chanced upon (I had fins) and even managed a few deep dives holding my breath (while remembering to blow out the air as the pressure increases!).

It was like riding a bike. You are a bit rusty and nervous but your instincts take over. These are life skills every child should learn, even if it's tough and he/she hates it, it has a huge pay off.