Learning at 50

About twice a week, on my way home from work or on weekends, I swim at the municipal pool for my health and to relieve stress.

When I first started, I would get tired just from walking in the water, but as I kept at it, I can now swim slowly for about an hour without any trouble.

Passing 50, I feel happy to be able to realize my own growth, even if it is just a small thing.

Well, as I continued, I got ambitious and now I want to be able to do the butterfly stroke!

When I see people swimming the butterfly, it looks graceful, dynamic, and cool. The butterfly is my aspiration.

At the municipal pool I go to, there are "Beginner Butterfly" lessons several times a week, and instructors from an affiliated sports club teach them for free.

Today, I decided to join one right away.

The 20 participants all seemed like regulars, and they spoke to me in a friendly way, saying things like, "Oh, is this your first time? I'm in my fourth year here!"

I had never done the butterfly even as a child, so this is a genuine first-time challenge for me.

First kick, second kick?
What on earth is that?
Hands like this, drop your knees and kick as if pushing the water???
It felt as if my body had frozen up from trying to input too much information at once...
But even this confusion feels so fresh!

The 30-minute lesson ended in the blink of an eye.

Even so, I don't think I was thinking with my head this much when I learned to swim the crawl in elementary school. I would watch, visualize, and imitate. I feel like my body just moved naturally according to the image back then.

It's difficult, but trying new things is truly fun!

I was just having "YouTube-sensei" teach me again!
Signs of getting hooked already.

Now that my child-rearing days are over, a time has come when I can fully enjoy the things I love again like this.✨✨