Dear Lily,

It was a cool July day near Parry Sound when you were baptised into Canadiana by virtue of two acts.

First: You went for your first canoe ride.  Encased in your bright orange body armour life jacket you hopped into the canoe with your mum and held on tight while we pushed off from the dock.  It wasn’t too long before you got your canoe legs and were peering over the edge looking for fish.  Shortly after that you were moving around enough to make your mother and I nervous that you would tip us all into the lake.  Par for the course and expected behaviour from you…

Secondly and perhaps more significantly you went for your first swim in water that is described as “Nice, once you get in.”  This phrase has popped up every single summer of my life and this one has been no exception.  In all my years I have only rarely heard “The water is warm!” or “It’s COLD!”  No, almost invariably the first person in the water pulls out the “Nice, once you get in” line.  Here’s a tip from your dear old Dad.  100% of the time, that means IT IS COLD.  Don’t be fooled.  What these people are really saying is “IT’S COLD.  But once you lose the feeling in your legs and your heard and lungs recover from the shock of the temperature change it becomes somewhat tolerable and perhaps even refreshing.”  I guess that’s just too long to say…But now you know what it means.

The shock on your face was admittedly kind of funny.  I could see you struggling internally as your mind tried to reconscile the following:

• I love swimming but…
• Why would you do this to me?!
• Why can’t I catch my breath?
• Why is this life jacket strap so far up my bum?
• So. COLD.
• Hey, this isn’t so bad.
• Where did my legs go?
• I CAN”T FEEL MY LEGS!
• Ahhh…this is refreshing.
• Out please now ok?
• More swimming please?

As an adult and just a few moments earlier my mind went through the exact same process.  But this time it didn’t take too long for me to build up the courage to take the plunge as I wanted to show you that it’s wasn’t so bad and that you should be brave.

Anyhow, welcome to Canadian life my dear.  I fully expect you will repeat this every summer.  I’m happy I was here to guide you into it.