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Along Life’s Way
Water Watch
Safety
By Lois E. Wilson
When I was a child, each year in the spring, my parents and I would go
north to Grand Lake. We rented a small boat, put our gear into it,
climbed in, and Dad rowed us away to find a fishing spot.
We prepared poles with bait, usually earthworms we had caught the night
before. Every time we shifted positions and cast our lines into the
water, the boat was shaky and unstable.
I believe my Dad could swim, but my Mother and I could not. In those
days, few people wore life preservers or even had boats equipped with
them. I know we had none.
I often think how someone, I credit God, was watching over our lives.
Thanks to Him, we never capsized.
When my parents weren’t teaching, in the summers they operated fruit
stands in Dayton. The two markets, located on opposite ends of Third
Street, were open seven days a week from early morning until around ten
in the evening. I worked at them and never had time to learn to swim.
When I was thirteen, my Indiana cousins came to visit. One hot day, we
took time off to go swimming at Old River Park. During the activities
in the pool, I wandered into water over my head. I panicked. I thrashed
wildly trying to find something to grasp. I was yelling for help and
grabbed at nearby swimmers to no avail. I remember fearing, “What will
my parents think?”
Just as I was giving up hope, a lifeguard secured his grip on me, swam
with me in tow to poolside, and pulled me out of the water onto the
deck area. God, through His agent, was there again.
We decided that I should have swimming lessons. They were accommodated
within the heavy schedule of market hours. I can float and swim a
little; however, I am no star in the pool. I always feel as if all my
kicking and arm stroking are getting me nowhere. I therefore shun water
experiences.
Every time I hear of the tragedy of a family losing a child from a pool
or bathtub incident, I wonder how could it have been avoided?
When there is water around, even puddles, we must be alert to the
dangers. We must not leave children alone in these situations. Just our
being distracted for a few minutes can result in a fatality. Also, be
sure to give your children the gift of learning to swim. Be sure they
never swim alone or in unfamiliar waters. Against the weight of woe—an
ounce of prevention wins every time.
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