This morning I was talking to 13-year-old Miss Hissy about ocean swimming. I told her if the waves were too big and rough at tomorrow's annual Big Swim from Palm Beach to Whale Beach I wouldn't swim it. I wouldn't subject myself to the battering I received last year just trying to get out beyond the breakers.
Miss Hiss looked at me with a mixture of disdain and pity. She said she loved the thrill of tackling the big waves.
She said: 'When you grow old all the fun goes out of you.'
I could have explained that it's more about becoming acutely aware of your own mortality. In addition, there's that question I ask myself more and more: 'Do I really need to prove anything to anyone - even to myself- anymore? Then, why the f%$# am I doing this?'
But I didn't. Miss Hiss deserves her fun, and my older and wiser perspective is a dampener.
And you know what, I'll end up doing the bloody thing anyway, in spite of myself.
See you in the surf - but please don't wave as you swim past me!
PS: I just checked the 2010 Big Swim home page and tomorrow there's meant to be a nice 1.3 metre swell and a NE wind (doesn't that bring in the blue bottles? Yikes). Overall, it's looking promising. Fingers crossed. It should be FUN.
