The water is fine.
Periodically I peer out from under the rock where I hide, I glance at the news and see vitriol. Even the headlines seem generated to divide us.
But in my backyard pool and in my adult swimming classes at Rogue X, we’re humming and floating and finding connection from our books to our toes. We’re feeling the inbuilt support of the water by bouncing ourselves like basketballs. Young and old, we’re leaning into trust.
While the world pushes us to choose sides, the water asks us only to breathe and move forward together.
In the water there’s exploration and discovery lifting us up. Some come seeking fitness and find belonging. Others arrive carrying the weight of the week and leave feeling lighter, held.
This is what we create together—not escape from the world, but renewal for it. A place where we remember what it feels like to support and be supported.
I have spots left in my Swimming for Longevity clinic at the MJCC in Portland on July 12th (want the same offering in Southern Oregon? Reply to this email to let me know)! In times like these, we need each other more than ever. I’d love to see you in the water!
Shannon
P.S. If part of you is craving more spaces like this—where the water isn’t just a workout, but a way to return to yourself—you’re not alone. That’s what we’re creating at The Water’s Edge. A quiet, steady place to keep exploring what support, reflection, and shared presence can look like—both in and beyond the pool.
