Finding Your Happy Place to Relax
Those close to me know that I absolutely love going to the pool or the beach in the summer. It’s not about the tan, but all about the sunshine, the warmth, the blue water, and the feeling of absolute relaxation I get at the pool. When I was young, I spent the entire day at the pool. I arrived early for swim team practice and stayed 8 hours every day until my mother picked me up. I loved to hang out with friends, eat a Texas Tommy from the snack bar (a hot dog with cheese, wrapped in bacon), and just relax in the water. There’s something about being in pool water that removes every bit of stress in my body.
Unfortunately, my kids don’t share my total love of all things pool-related. I’m sure the lure of electronics and other fun activities overshadow the complete bliss that I feel in the water. One of my kids swims on a year round swim team, so she feels she’s in the water enough, thank you. But, on some days, I can talk one or both of my daughters into going to the pool with me, and if I have my way, we head to the BlackBob Bay pool in Olathe where $6 admission opens the world of a wonderful lazy river. My husband jokes that when we head to BlackBob Bay for a few hours, he doesn’t see me because I never get out of the lazy river. That’s entirely untrue because occasionally, I get out to ride the tubes down the slides which go right back into – you guessed it – the lazy river. I just float magically around the lazy river, listening to the radio, which is always tuned to the music of my youth (aka, the Oldies), and I think about how completely wonderful life is. It’s my favorite way to relax!
Really. There is something truly magical about floating in the lazy river. You must try it. I feel all of my concerns melt away, and I completely relax in a way I can’t at any other activity. I enjoy running, I enjoy working out, I enjoy evening walks with my husband, I enjoy watching the sunset, I enjoy hanging out with best friends, I enjoy being surrounded by my family, I enjoy the peace of church, I enjoy restful breathing activities. I enjoy so many things, but nothing relaxes me like the lazy river.
So, what’s your lazy river? What enables you to completely relax? It’s so important to have activities that allow you to completely decompress and re-set your engine. Please. Today. Go out and find your personal lazy river.