user7786

When i was about 3, our family had gone for a picnic on the beach. My father and I, were enjoying the gentle waves of the sea. Because the waves were quite gentle, my father had only a lose grip on my hand. Before my father realised it a giant wave came our way (giant compared to my height then!) and it enveloped me, and pushed me down. I didn’t know what to do, because i was submerged in water, i couldn’t see, couldn’t shout out for help or stand up. Luckily, 2 of my cousins responded quickly and picked me up. It was then that my fear of water began…

Then my mum signed me up for swimming lessons when i was 3 or 4. And the instructor was evil – he would scream at us kids, if we didnt practice the exercises properly in the shallow pool. And he would threaten to throw us into the deep end of the pool. Once i was so frightened of him, that he caught me crying in the shallow pool. He picked me up from the shallow pool and hurled me into the deep end. I swallowed a lot of water and thought i was about to drown, but luckily i managed to reach the edge of the pool and cling on to the wall. And my fear of deep water grew…

I have tried to enroll in swimming lessons again as an adult, but i never have learned how to swim, because i could not overcome my fear of deep water… i can float for bit and i can do the arm movements and leg movements properly and i can even swim 10 meters at a stretch. But I cannot breathe while swimming. Every time i try to breathe, I swallow water, then I panic and my fear comes back to me
:(

When I had to leave the country I was born in and all my relatives to move to England, I really missed home.

But it was like God was listening to my feelings. And every time i missed home, immediately a random stranger would smile at me / compliment me / help me / speak to me. And it would cheer me up!

Before I realised it, I began complimenting strangers too :)

It gives you such a warm feeling to know that you’ve spread some cheer, or you’ve probably made someone’s day :)

And what goes around comes around :)

I’m happy to say that I’ve been lucky enough to live in 3 different countries and I’m a true believer of a local proverb in my country which goes something like “The whole world is your country and every single person on earth is your relative!”

My husband found it on my bucket list! So he gifted for my birthday (Aww… yes, he’s awfult sweet :) Anyway, it was good he did that, cos I’m a bit of a procrastinator, and I would never have gotten around to jumping off a plane, if not for hubby dear :)