As a child, I was terrified of water. Swimming pools and lakes brought me extreme apprehension, as I was convinced that I would sink to the bottom, so I only ventured in as far as my legs could reach the bottom.
My dad had signed me up for swimming lessons. He promised the instructor a nice reward if he could teach me how to swim. Unfortunately, none of the methods he used worked out, and I ended up quitting the class.
Years later, I was on a family vacation to a lake in my country. My parents bought me a foam ring, thinking it would keep me afloat. But all it did was sink slowly; I had to use it as a life preserver, so I could stay above the surface of the water. The foam ring kept me from sinking deeper into the lake, but I still had to paddle my limbs in order to keep afloat.
Once I could swim without the need for foam, I was able to brave the depths of the pool. But I still had a fear of being submerged beneath the water. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t seem to overcome my discomfort with being underwater.
But I’m able to stay afloat and can maneuver through the water, which is all that matters.