Lessons From Shane

Years ago, in my teens, I was a lifeguard and swim instructor for the City of Phoenix. It was a massive Olympic-sized pool with a separate kids pool, lap lanes, and three diving boards. Of the three boards, there were two springboards and one 10-foot high dive. Each day the pool was filled with kids from the valley escaping the summer heat, people doing laps, learning to swim, or just soaking up the hot sun. I got to know the regulars - a few kids that would show up each day. There was one boy, in particular, Shane. He was just five years old, and everyday his mother would drop off him and his big brother for the day. 

Shane wanted to use the diving boards. As all pool rules go, you need to be able to swim the length of the pool to use any of them. Shane did his swim test and he was ready. Oh, the excitement! He went on his merry way and used two small springboards for several days.  

Then the day came when he wanted to try the high dive. He stood in the long line, waited in the hot sun and pool deck for his turn. Finally! He slowly made his way up the ladder taking his time, carefully placing each foot on the ladder. But halfway up with his hands gripping the rails, he stopped - FROZEN.  

The kids behind him started to shout, "hurry up!"

I was watching him and called out a few encouraging words to move him along - but nothing worked. I could see that he was overwhelmed with fear. He didn't move.

I climbed down my guard stand and walked over to the ladder.

I asked him, "Shane want some help?"

I climbed up the ladder.  At this point, mind you, the line was getting longer for the use of the high dive, and now people were beginning to stare.

I met him on the ladder and asked, "What do you want to do? Go back down or keep going?"

He said, “Keep going." I said, "Okay, let's go!"

We climbed the last few steps - I had forgotten just how tall it was even for a teen. We got to the top, he took my hand, and we walked to the end of the board. There, we stood side-by-side.

I said, “OK! Are you ready to jump?”

He replied with a very hesitant, "Yes."

I yelled, "One… two… three! “

And we both jumped! It was fun, exciting, and a bit scary too. The best part was seeing his expression. He was over the moon excited! He did it! 

The next day he walked right up to my guard stand and asked me to take him off the high dive - and I did. We jumped together at least once a day that summer - same joy, excitement, and claps from the pool deck.

Then one day, he started to jump on his own. He was so excited and proud of himself, and I think his big brother was impressed too. Shane jumped for nothing more than the sheer experience and thrill of the jump itself. 

As I think about this story years later, as an adult, I realize Shane taught me a few lessons.

It’s OK to ask for help, jump scared, and savor the leap!