The breaststroke was the stroke responsible for Amelia repeating her level 4 swimming class 8 times last fall and winter!  Sure, in the optimistic tone of Christmas newsletters, I wrote last December:

[Amelia]  loves the water, and although no natural fish, she is a determined girl. She hopes to qualify for the swim team, and although that goal is perhaps a ways off, she continues to work hard. I am so pleased with her perseverance and her willingness to go “all in” on something. I believe that by next year she will be master of the breaststroke.

But honestly, I had my moments of doubt.  Perhaps we should be pleased with a slow front crawl and count our blessings from there?  But Amelia stayed with it.  She did eventually pass level 4.  She made it on to the pre-competitive squad and then the white (the metallic colored squads are still to be aspired towards).  Achieving her swim team goal hasn’t been all roses, of course.  There have been several low days this summer.  Amelia compares her abilities against those of the swim prodigy 6 year olds on her squad and feels distressed.  And she still hasn’t figured out how to do the flip turn you need for competitions.  But

THE BREASTSTROKE IS NOW HER FAVORITE STROKE!

I can’t believe it.  But I almost do.  I saw her swim it this week.  Was it just 8 months ago that she struggled to move 10 yards in what seemed a hopeless mode of locomotion?  Now she breaststrokes across the pool with no apparent exertion.   I am so excited for her.  The smile she wears after swim practice these days is almost enough to make me want to take up exercise.

“Never give up if it’s worth doing.  Never give up if the end be right.  If it’s a purpose worth pursuing, go for it morning and noon and night!”  –Margaret Jackson MacKinnon.

This is a picture of Amelia that I took shortly after she learned that she had been passed to the next level of swimming. I think it may have been her eighth try. For more background on her epic achievement see my previous post.

Amelia and I have a favorite poem–which although overly dramatic and undoubtedly cheesy–lifts our spirits in times of struggle.

Never Give Up
Never give up if it’s worth doing
Never give up if the end be right,
If it’s a purpose that’s worth pursuing,
Go for it, morning and noon and night.

Never give up though your best friends drop you,
Saying that only a fool keeps on.
If it be worthy, let nothing stop you
Stick to your cause till your strength is gone.

Never give up how so oft you blunder,
Failure is part of a man’s career.
Sink if you must, but don’t stay under,
Keep a stout heart and persevere.

Out of their failures and sharp distresses,
Out of the swamps of despair and doubt,
Brave men have come to their best successes,
Never give up while your strength holds out.

Google helped me to discover that this poem has been attributed to Margaret (”Maggie”) S. Jackson MacKinnon.