All for a green band

Last week in Ohio, we went as a family to a new pool complete with lazy river, high dive, several slides, etc. Kids under a certain height had to pass a swim test and get a green wrist band to be allowed to use the dives and slides. My niece, Gwen, was the first to decide she wanted to take the test. So we went over to watch and cheer her on. One had to swim 2 lengths of the pool and tread water for a minute. I didn't really think either of my kids could do it, but I figured I'd let Caden try. Though it was a very long swim, both Gwen and Caden did it, exhausted by the end. The whole time they were swimming, Alyssa was telling me she was next. I didn't know what to do as I was positive she couldn't do it. I told her she wasn't big enough, and she started wailing. Finally, I realized that I had to let her try. So a couple minutes later when the lifeguard was ready, my tiny girl jumped in and started swimming. Alyssa still swims mostly vertically, so she does not move fast. In fact sometimes it seemed she was barely moving. At long last she made it to the end and held on for a moment, gasping for breath. We looked together towards the other end. To me, it seemed a mile away. But she pushed off hard and started her agonizing journey back. Every few strokes she'd bring her head up and gasp "My arms hurt, my legs hurt!" and then she would go back under. I told her several times that she could stop if she wanted to, but she was determined. She finally made it all the way to the end. (Thankfully, the merciful lifeguard didn't make her tread water.) Several others were watching her by this time, and she was heartily congratulated by her onlookers. She took some deep breaths and stood on her wobbly little legs and gave me an enormous grin.

Really, who was I to think she couldn't do it?