Love Letter #2, Deep Eddy

Dear Deep Eddy,

My God I miss you. It has been months since I have been in your water and this summer feels so weird without that shock of cool.

When my mom was pregnant with me, she swam in you. It is where we spent hot summer days in my young years.

In college I lounged under your trees, a lot of those are gone now. A plunge in the deep end cured many a hangover.

More recently, you reminded me how to breathe. How can we forget to breathe? What was awkward at first, exhale the bubbles, inhale the stroke, became steady. My rhythm in the water- one, two, three, breathe- is now strong and easy. At first I would struggle and fight for those first few lengths of the pool and marvel at the people in the lanes who could just go forever. Now, I can just go forever. It wasn’t about struggle after all, it was about surrender. It was about getting out of my head and into my body.

My wife and I are not religious people, but I did consider the first time both of my kids touched your water their baptism.

So, until it is safe to get back in, I’ll settle on missing you. I’ll think about the shock of jumping in and how it takes two laps to adjust to the cold and how magnificent you are when the air outside is colder that your 68 degrees and how on a hot August day, I can still feel your cool in my bones. And, I’ll try to remember to struggle less and surrender more and to breathe. One, two, three, breathe.

I really hope I see you soon.

Love,

Martha