On Palm Sunday of 2025, my earthly father, Ronnie Gene Wilson, passed away. When I first heard of his passing I didn’t feel anything – no sadness, no crying, nothing. What was wrong with me?

In 2024, my open water swimming started becoming monotonous, and I knew that I would need to spice it up so that I would continue with the sport.

I recently experienced for the first time a hot-mineral spring. The Jefferson Pools, also known as Warm Springs Pools, is located in Hot Springs, Virginia, and was the first spa structure in America.

After being exposed to and falling in love with open lake swimming and being a novice for 3 years now, I now realize that it is such a true depiction of my new life after trauma.

I just finished my third year in open lake swimming. I have to admit it has taken that long for me to finally get used to the choppy waves that appear out of nowhere.

Switching from pool swimming to lake swimming (referred to as open water swimming) presents many challenges, the first being the ability to navigate oneself in a large body of water, commonly known as sighting.

There are so many wonderful traits that my dad poured into me when I was a kid. Teaching me to do my best in everything that I did would have to be at the top of the list.

Since I have been back into swimming for four years now, I am truly inspired by senior adult swimmers.

In 2021, I decided to start writing goals for myself. Annual goals that would keep me accountable for my time and also help fight life comparisons.

Open water swimming was never in the discussion during the 1980s when I was on a year-round swim team. Our swim meets and swim practices were always held in either a 25-meter or a 50-meter indoor/outdoor pool.

When I re-engaged in the aquatic sport of lap swimming after a 35-year lapse, I found that a new fear had crept into my life – diving.

What if I told you that exercise could be used as a coping mechanism for dealing with trauma? Its being a coping mechanism is not a marketing tool we see being used by companies in persuading consumers to buy their latest and greatest home gym gadgets. Nevertheless, exercise is a healthy alternative in escaping trauma.