I Can Swim

October 22, 2012

I was five years old, playing in our local public swimming pool.  Being a pesky little sister, I was following my brother and his friend around.  Probably trying to ditch me, they went to the deep end.  I followed.  All of a sudden, I realized that it was too deep for me!  I panicked!  I couldn’t touch the bottom!  What was I going to do?!  I flailed around, calling for help!

Finally, a life guard jumped in, pulled me out of the 4 feet deep water, and took me over to my worried mom.  Then he sat down to talk with us to be sure I was okay.  I was fine, just a bit shaken up.  I asked him why he waited so long to come rescue me.

“I thought you were just playing, Jane.  I know that you know how to swim.”

That’s right, I knew how to swim, in fact, I had had a lesson that very morning.

“Why didn’t you swim to the side?” he asked me.

“I don’t know.  I was scared,” I answered.

I got scared and, well, forgot that I knew how to swim.  Have you ever freaked out about a situation that you were actually quite ready to deal with?  You know, a time when you were actually okay, set up to get through it okay, but for some reason didn’t realize it?   Maybe in a stressful situation at work.  Maybe in an emergency, like a car accident.  Maybe even in a large-scale natural disaster?  Sometimes a lot can come at you pretty fast, making it a challenge to recognize, let alone rally all your resources and all your  knowledge.

Whenever that freak-out factor starts sneaking up on me, I just remember one of my mantras, “I can swim.”  That helps me to ground myself, remember all that I’ve done to prepare for that situation, and deal with it more effectively.   Should you find yourself dealing with the next big one (or even a not-so-big-one emergency situation), you don’t have to worry and stress and flail around. Remember all of the preparation that you’ve done; remember your resources; remember your strength.  Remember that you can swim.

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One Mogul At A Time

July 8, 2012

One beautiful winter day when I was 18 and learning to downhill ski, my family went skiing with our neighbors, the McDonald’s. 

On one run, Mr. McDonald talked me through a challenging stretch of three or four moguls.  I was having fun and learning lots.  Then I turned a corner on the trail and stopped dead in my tracks, staring at the path ahead.

“What’s wrong?” Mr. McDonald asked.

Staring unblinking at the path in front of me, knowing there were no other options, I squeaked out, “I can’t do those moguls.”  I  was scared.

“Sure you can.  You did great on those moguls behind us.” 

How could he possibly think that I could get through that run, with moguls from here to the lodge? 

“No way.  That hill is solid moguls.  There are so many moguls.  And they’re so close together.” 

“Oh, I understand,” he said patiently.  Good, I thought.  He understands and will help me find another way down the mountain. Then he continued, “There ARE a lot of moguls, and you can do it.”

NO!  He doesn’t understand!  There is no way that I could ski down that mogul-filled path and survive.  I was filled with panic.  Out loud I just said, “No way.”

“Don’t look at the long path of moguls ahead of you, just look about 10 feet down the trail.  All you need to do is ski that next mogul,” pointing to a skimpy little one right in front of us.  “Once you’re past it, then ski the next mogul.  Then the next.  Then the next.  Just ski one mogul at a time, Jane.”

I did it.  I conquered that mountain one mogul at a time.  His wise advice got me through that day and many more in the years since.  Whenever I’ve felt overwhelmed by the magnitude of a challenge in front of me, I’ve heard Mr. McDonald’s reassuring voice say, “Just ski one mogul at a time, Jane.”

While getting your family better prepared for emergencies, you might feel overwhelmed, not know where to start, not think you’ll ever be able to accomplish it.  My best advice to you is from Mr. McDonald.  Keep the big picture in mind, but focus on the task at hand, one or two activities.  Then take on one or two more.  With each step you take, you will be better prepared.  Ski one mogul.  Then ski the next.  Then the next.  Ski one mogul at a time.

The same advice holds true during a crisis.  There likely will be a mogul-filled mountain of work to do.  It can feel overwhelming.  Take a deep breath and take it on one step at a time.  Keep the end point in mind, your family’s safety, security, and comfort.  Pick one of the most important tasks that needs to be done.  And focus on that one task.  Then focus on the next.  Then the next.  Ski one mogul.  Then ski the next.  Then the next.  Ski one mogul at a time.

Thanks Mr. McDonald!

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Reality Check

June 29, 2012

“One cannot be prepared for something while secretly believing it will not happen.”

– Nelson Mandela

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Boy Scouts’ Motto

March 24, 2012

“Be Prepared . . . . The meaning of the motto is that a scout must prepare himself by previous thinking out and practicing how to act on any accident or emergency so that he is never taken by surprise.”

– Sir Robert Baden-Powell, Founder of the Boy Scouts, 1857-1941

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