I first started swimming as an avenue to share a common hobby with Ted. I dreaded the idea. I grew up afraid of water on Lake Ontario and the older I got, the more I fed this fear. Sharks are in swimming pools; didn’t you know that? I was afraid to even sit in a hot tub alone. But my desire for a deeper connection with my husband became stronger than the fear of imaginary fish swallowing me whole. So, I jumped in. Swimming together validated this effort and therefore I needed Ted to swim with me. I swam for him. I swam for us. We swam consistently every Tuesday and Thursday for almost two years. During this time, I created a healthier relationship with water. I panicked less. I stepped into the ocean chest-high twice and even tasted salt water for the first time in my entire life. When I swam laps, I started to pretend I was a sea turtle (feels normal, right?) and felt a semblance of peace under the cold (pool) water.