Like you my thoughts this week have been with family and friends living in Florida. We have been grateful to be able call or text learn that they are safe. One of my high school friends, Janell, living in Naples had to evacuate with her two elderly cats. She is fine, but not sure when her power will be back on. Only then can she return home.
She has posted pictures on Facebook of the destruction from Hurricane Ian. I was able to visit her last January so I was able to visualize some of what it was like before the flooding. It’s incredible that water can cause so much damage. There is so much power in water, which is both necessary and chaotic.
Janell and I have a friendship forged in water. Together we coached the St. Louis Park middle school synchronized swim team. She was by far the better synchronized swimmer, often outscoring everyone on our high school team with her routines. I coached because I loved working with middle school girls.
We were pretty good coaches. Together we would teach the girls the synchronized swimming basics like sculling, dolphins and somersaults. We created routines set to music. And we even made simple costumes to go with the songs the girls picked.
A swimming song came to mind as I prayed for Janell and all those impacted by Hurricane Ian this week. Pat Humphries song, “Swimming to the Other side” kept playing in my head.
We are living neath the great Big Dipper
We are washed by the very same rain
We are swimming in the stream together
Some in power and some in pain
We can worship this ground we walk on
Cherishing the beings that we live beside
Loving spirits will live forever
We ‘re all swimming to the other side . . .
We have seen once again how quickly things change. In an instant so much can be washed away. Janell said it was her deep respect for the power of water that made her get out of Naples early.
And now as we make our way through this flood that has impacted so many people, we must do what we can for one another. We share what we have to help people make their way home.
Recently, I have found myself back in a middle school pool. As a para professional I swim with our students if any one of them needs that support. And one of our students truly needs my support. I hold him up as he floats on his back. Together we blow bubbles as he adjusts to putting his face in the water. “Don’t let go” he often says as he clings tightly to me. “I got you”, I say to try to reassure him.
May all who need it hear the Spirit whisper to them, “ I got you”. May we say it to one another. For as Humphries sang out, “We are all just swimming to the other side.”
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