It’s like riding your bike up the street past the high school towards the swimming pool and seeing the parking lot full of cars. Which is odd, because there’s usually like three cars — just the high school lifeguards who get there early to check the chemicals and maybe vacuum some of the gravel out of the bottom of the pool after last night’s thunderstorm. Rescue a few critters and skim a bunch of crickets before the summer swim team practices.
It’s like walking up to the breezeway that’s usually silent and dark with only the bright blue of the pool on the other end to light it up and finding it buzzing with activity and the pool divided up with lane lines and decorated above with plastic banners and -bang!- there’s a starter’s gun and splashing and cheering and…
It’s like everybody else knew there was a swim meet today and you are just showing up for a regular practice.
That’s what it feels like to be tiptoeing in here on the fifth day of your big month-long swim meet of writing. I’ll just stand here in the shade by the clerk of the course while you all find your lanes and swim with your strongest strokes and team up for the relays. I’ll cheer you on and bring you bunches of cold green grapes to give you energy.
Happy March Slicing Challenge, all! May you make it to the finish line without your goggles ever fogging up!
A(nother) Year of Reading 
Nice post ✍️
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Great analogies! I know you have been in this marathon before and are doing so much writing in many places that you can be an empathetic cheerleader!
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I love saying fogging goggles. Fogging goggles. Fogging goggles. That’s just fun wordplay with meaning right there! No matter how much we write and cheer others and know when to choose the shade, we are all in the writer’s life. It’s a thing with waves and currents just like the sea, and we feel the pull of the moon as we kick and stroke. I love your metaphor. Thank you for cheering!
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You had me with the swim team analogy. Thanks for cheering us on! It matters.
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You got me! I was reading and asking myself – are we swimming or are we writing? Oh, we are swimming along and writing, and MaryLee has jumped into the pool! Glad to have you! The water’s fine!
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Thank you for both the fun analogy and the encouragement!
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Ah, Mary Lee, what a sweet encouraging post. Those cool green grapes of love are appreciated. Your swim meet analogy is perfect. Thank you!
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While I get the analogies, please know that we love having you dip in on Tuesdays only. If and when you’re ready to write daily in March, you can always join us for the month-long challenge. But please know, you’re always welcome on Tuedays!
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I loved this when I read it, but somehow I got swamped and never responded. Your metaphor is perfect and the whole post just resounds with warmth and encouragement. Thanks! The grapes were delicious! 😉
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