Everyone at the lake was staring at us. I guess it’s human nature, when you hear a blood curdling scream to stop and stare.
My 8-year-old son was screaming like he was in an audition for Jaws, and my 7-year-old daughter was swimming out to the middle of the lake, laughing hysterically at the excitement of being unsupervised in the drama.
Ethan had been stung by a wasp.
I love swimming and thought my children would follow my passion.
Unfortunately, I was wrong.
Ethan had a fear of water, believing the lake to be full of sharks, so he would just spectate from a bench, a sitting target for an angry wasp.
This wasn’t how Id imagined our sunny days by the lake,
Then we joined the local club, and now, here I am, reminiscing in disbelief and happiness over the recent Swim Ireland River Moy Swim that Ethan and I entered, where I climbed the steps at the end and heard the most magical words from Ethan: “That was fun! Can we do it next year?”
What a difference a year makes – when you swim with a great group.
Author Emma Callanan is a Me and the Water member, who sent us this story to enter our August 2021 members competition. She told us that since the River Moy Swim, Ethan completed a triathlon in Loughrea, and came out of the swim in second place!
Emma owes Ethan’s new love of water to the fantastic coaches and members at Predator Junior Triathlon Club and Ballinasloe Swimming Club.
Sinead Doran
Great story… congratulations on the river moy swim
Emma Callanan
Thank you
Christine Callanan
What a wonderful true story. It‘S lovely to hear children are enjoying nature and being outside instead of watching t.v or hypnotised buy their laptops and mobile phones!
Emma Callanan
Thank you, yes the more outdoors they are the happier they are, and sleep better as well 😅
Fiona Flynn Monaghan
A great story , congratulations to yourself and Ethan.. see you in September
Emma Callanan
Thank you Fiona, looking forward to them getting back 😊
Julie Dare
Lovely true story and so well written. What an achievement for Ethan you must be so very proud and well done to all the clubs that help teaching different skills, hope this is an inspiration to a lot of people.
Emma Callanan
Thank you Julie, yes I hope it encourages people to try and overcome any fears they have, Ethans fear was so genuine, when I see him now I think any thing is possible.
Sally Martin
Oh well done Em! XxxxxxxX
emma callanan
Thank you Sally, xxx