The waddling duck

This is probably the only picture of me in a swimsuit. It was taken, if I am not mistaken circa 1968 in Pamukkale in Turkey. I guess it is the mandatory shower before entering the wonderful hot springs. In those days Turkey was still not a tourist destination and Papa and I were the two lone swimmers in the hot pools. It was a magical and unique experience. No one could have it today. Suffice to Google Pammukkale and you have images of crowds in the once pristine wonders. I feel privileged having known the White Castle or Cotton land as it is known in early times. But this post is not about Pammukkale or Turkey but about swimming! Till the ripe age of 62 my swimming ventures were far and few and across the globe: beaches we visited, hotel we stayed in and unexpected treats like the one mentioned. My swimming talents are basic: I keep afloat and can do an approximation of what is known as breast stroke. When I look back at gone times, I cannot even remember the last time I swam or waddled!

My elder daughter is in India on holidays and though she is a woman of few words, she has a huge caring heart and shows her concern in rather unexpected and sometimes almost infuriating ways. She knows how tense and stressed I am - I guess it shows more than I would like to believe - and she got after my life to go the pool with her. I finally relented and accompanied her and even got into the pool. It was a very soothing and calming experience, and P had guessed right, it was what the doctor would prescribe!

Pammukkale as it looked then

I did not say anything to anyone but decided in my mind to at least learn to swim instead of waddling before I die. So believe it or not I signed up for swimming classes and now go thrice a week to learn how to swim. I would like to be able to swim as gracefully as possible and will give it my best shot. I did 15 laps today. Quite proud of it. But whether I learn to swim like a pro or not, this will still be the only swimsuit shot of mine. When I look at it now, I would say I was fat, but believe me in those days the canons of beauty were different and I found myself confident and even pretty and was never uncomfortable in my skin. I wish girls today understood that beauty comes from within and each one of us is beautiful because God made us unique.

Will the duck turn into an egging swan. Only time will tell.