Oh, the weather outside is frightful
But the pool is so delightful
Thanksgiving food-filled to the brim
Gotta swim, gotta swim, gotta swim!
My “normal” swim workout 3 to 4 times per week has been somewhat upended due to the holiday season. Be it end of the year doctor appointments, or traveling like a boomerang on the NYS Thruway for work, my time in Lane 3 has been limited.
What, me worry? Alfred E. Newman was right.
This time of year my goal is NOT to put pressure on myself. It doesn’t matter if it’s working out, or preparing for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, or Christmas. We all seem to develop that stress during the holidays to suddenly become Betty Crocker, Mr. Clean (anyone remember “The White Tornado?”) or even Martha Stewart (sans that insider trading thingy). Wonder Woman I am not.
“Caroline, did you get your Christmas tree up and decorated the day after Thanksgiving?”
“My shopping is almost done and my 100 cards (that I also hand-addressed in calligraphy) are already sent out, how about you, Caroline?”
Oh, please…..
I was just emailed a winter/spring US Masters swim meet schedule, and as much as I’d love to swim in all of them, it’s just not happening.
And I’m OK with that.
My point is…at this time in our lives, we’ve likely already done so much for family, friends (and often people we barely know) that it’s NOT a crime to say “no” to party invitations, over-decorating your house (unless you’re into that kind of thing), or making yourself swim 3,000 yards rather than your normal 2,000 since you missed a few days.
Swimming is definitely my favorite exercise as well as my refuge from life, but I can also hop on an exercise bike at home or run around the snowy backyard with the dogs as a workout.
My holiday decorating comes in spurts, so I’ll grab what I can carry up from the basement – when I have time – and when I feel the motivation to do so. The tree and the trimmings will go up, but not when others tell me when they think it should.
So, my friends, please pace yourself, try not to get caught up in the whirlwind of the holidays and make the most of each day – your day, that is. If you can swim or workout somehow, that’s great, but do not beat yourself up because you ran out of time or are just too tired. The superheroes are out there, just let them do their thing. Cheers!!
Sink or Swim 