Stranger At The Pool

I MUSN'T QUIT! Just three simple words. There are days when we feel like calling it quits. I felt like that about something recently. Until I heard those three words..I musn't quit. Not from someone I know. But from a stranger I met at the pool. Strange right? Let me tell you the whole story.I used to swim seriously and regularly. But for the past few years, I have not been doing so and have resorted to doggy paddle(think swimming like a dog with its head up in the water) in the pool, which is not the right swimming technique. Anyway, I thought people never forget what they have learned especially when it comes to swimming or cycling right? Right but not quite. I had problems synchronizing my breathing (underwater) with my breast stroke! I choked on the water couple of times and my breathing just didn't flow with my strokes. I had trouble completing my lap. Also, the fact that I had not ventured into the deep ends of the pool...gave me a wee bit of the jitters when I saw the huge depth. I tried my best to regain my rhythm but just wasn't getting it right. I felt disappointed actually as I used to swim well but now...tsk tsk. As I was about to get out of the pool, a stranger (tall and dark but not handsome...hhhahha..just kidding) called out to me and told me to stop the swimming and just practice on my breathing. I was surprised that he noticed I was having trouble with my breathing technique. Over the next ten minutes, I was given a crash course on the proper way of breathing underwater and he urged to practice my breathing thirty times. I tried but did less than thirty...hehhe. He kept urging me not to stop until I get my breathing right. The problem lies in the breathing technique and having to synchronize it with my strokes. It wasn't because I didn't know how to swim you see. I was pleasantly surprised at this stranger's kindness in taking the time to help me. It turned out that he used to teach swimming and he told me that he hates to see people quit! Whoa....don't quit was what I needed to hear - for me to get back the rhythm and also to hang on and trust God in a challenging situation. Thanks stranger!