Today I think we auditioned for America’s Funniest Home Video as Gene and I squeezed, pushed, sucked in and tucked ourselves into wet suits. They said they were supposed to be tight and fit like a glove. I have NEVER had a glove fit the way that fit. Moving in the suits was another story of comic proportions; but, the $10,000 video would have been of us trying to bend over and put our flippers on. Gene kept up a commentary throughout the whole thing that had everyone in stitches. Now that was entertainment…
Slipping into the water for the first time helped us to appreciate the fears and trust issues that the kids had to work on just to get into the water. We had floatation vests on but it is a little intimidating to think that a little piece of rubber is going to keep you a float. Despite the floor show of putting on the wet suits, the swim was quite enjoyable. The dolphins swam around us watching us, rubbing up against us, and kissing our legs. Squirt and Lotus stayed with Misty the entire time. They never swam with anyone else. Squirt would just stay right beside her and if other dolphins looked like they might collide with her or if we got close Squirt would protectively get between Misty and the potential hazard. The other six dolphins swam with the rest of us and the other therapy families from the week.
After our swim the kids got to visit the sea lion, Wono. She is quite a character showing off at every opportunity. She would bring them presents from the bottom of the lagoon and jump and twist at the sounds of their laughter and claps. Even Rosie got to give her a kiss. She said Wono’s skin was not as slippery as the dolphins’ and that her underbelly was very oily. In fact the skin was so oily that you could write on Wono’s fur by just touching it. Light pressure on her back acted like a squeegee squeezing the water out and leaving a dry area. Wono loved her back and belly being rubbed.
As the children began gathering up their things and saying goodbyes. Gene and I had the pleasure and the pain of a deep muscle massage. It truly was one of those “hurt so bad it was good!” I think I am going to send Gene to massage school.
Leaving was hard. Misty was particularly sad burying in face in my side as the therapy team, all 14 of them, gathered around us to say goodbye. They really were so helpful. They were constantly asking us questions and making suggestions and if they didn’t have one they would look for one. Several times we talked about something on one day and the next morning they would come to us with some ideas they had talked about or researched for us. As we were leaving, they reminded the children and us that this was not just a one week program that we would be in contact by phone and email and that they really hoped we could come back again. I hope so too.
Slipping into the water for the first time helped us to appreciate the fears and trust issues that the kids had to work on just to get into the water. We had floatation vests on but it is a little intimidating to think that a little piece of rubber is going to keep you a float. Despite the floor show of putting on the wet suits, the swim was quite enjoyable. The dolphins swam around us watching us, rubbing up against us, and kissing our legs. Squirt and Lotus stayed with Misty the entire time. They never swam with anyone else. Squirt would just stay right beside her and if other dolphins looked like they might collide with her or if we got close Squirt would protectively get between Misty and the potential hazard. The other six dolphins swam with the rest of us and the other therapy families from the week.
After our swim the kids got to visit the sea lion, Wono. She is quite a character showing off at every opportunity. She would bring them presents from the bottom of the lagoon and jump and twist at the sounds of their laughter and claps. Even Rosie got to give her a kiss. She said Wono’s skin was not as slippery as the dolphins’ and that her underbelly was very oily. In fact the skin was so oily that you could write on Wono’s fur by just touching it. Light pressure on her back acted like a squeegee squeezing the water out and leaving a dry area. Wono loved her back and belly being rubbed.
As the children began gathering up their things and saying goodbyes. Gene and I had the pleasure and the pain of a deep muscle massage. It truly was one of those “hurt so bad it was good!” I think I am going to send Gene to massage school.
Leaving was hard. Misty was particularly sad burying in face in my side as the therapy team, all 14 of them, gathered around us to say goodbye. They really were so helpful. They were constantly asking us questions and making suggestions and if they didn’t have one they would look for one. Several times we talked about something on one day and the next morning they would come to us with some ideas they had talked about or researched for us. As we were leaving, they reminded the children and us that this was not just a one week program that we would be in contact by phone and email and that they really hoped we could come back again. I hope so too.
As we began our journey home we detoured by Pahokee, Rosie’s birthplace. There was obvious excitement in her anticipation of the town. When we got there I was thankful I had looked up some pictures for her to see prior to our visit. It was a very small, poor and almost forgotten little place. On the edge of the city though was a beautiful scene as you crested over Main Street to a dike area. Before you, filling the horizon, was a picturesque tranquil lake. As we stood there on the shore looking across Rosie breathed a deep breath and said, “It’s time to go home.” Yes, for all of us there is a time to venture out and try new and exciting things. There is a time to travel back and visit our past. Then it is time to turn and go to where life is lived out in the trenches of home where the people, places and things you love rest and wait for you. Yes, it's time to go home!
No comments:
Post a Comment