The Strangest Dream

A few nights ago I had a dream that Dawson, who is currently taking swimming lessons, fell off a boat without his life jacket on. I was scared he would drown but he managed to swim to the ladder all by himself.

In reality, he has reluctantly attended lessons the last few days with giant tears saying, "I don't wanna do lessons today." He makes it through and even gets over the tears but he hasn’t exactly been brave.

Today was the first time he started the lesson without tears. There were several things he told the teacher he didn't want to do, but he managed to do most of them.

After the lesson, Mackenzie and I joined the boys in the pool. Because it was almost break time, I didn't get the life jacket out for Dawson. I was a few feet away from the edge watching Mackenzie and Aiden dive for some things at the bottom when out of the corner of my eye I saw Dawson jump into the pool.

In the moment that all parents experience when something bad is about to happen to one of your children, the moment that everything starts going in slow motion but your mind which is racing like crazy wondering if you're going to make the split second decision that will save that child from harm, I moved towards Dawson in time to save him if needed but waited one second to see what he'd do.

It was the right decision because what he did was swim to the side all by himself – just like in my dream. Only this time I got to scoop him up in my arms, hug him and tell him how very proud I was.