I love this article! Chris Colin of The New York Times interviewed a woman, who at 68, learned to swim and now, four years later, is a daily lap swimmer. This is a great reminder for any of us who tell ourselves that we’re too old to try something new. Is there something you’ve been putting off because fear gets in the way? Is there a new sport or hobby you’ve been drawn to but you think it’s too late to try? Read this interview for some inspiration . . .
Vijaya Srivastava’s first 68 years had been resolutely land-based. She walked the Berkeley Hills in the San Francisco Bay Area, spent time with her young grandchildren, volunteered at the library. None of this required submersion in water, which suited her fine, what with water being terrifying. Fear of drowning was a big issue.
Growing up in India, she never had access to swimming pools. By the time she moved to the United States, the idea of backstroking to and fro simply didn’t occur to her. Then one day her physician mentioned that regular laps would improve her health.
“I can’t swim,” Ms. Srivastava, now 72, confessed. She’d never even put her face underwater.
“Have you heard of lessons?” the physician asked.
“At my age?”
“Why not?”