\u23f1 ~4 min reading<\/p>\n\n\n
The lake smelled of warm water, wet wood, and pine trees. The sun was high. A sandy beach stretched along the shore, and beyond it was a wooden bridge for those who could already swim.<\/p>\n\n
Ivanko knew water up to his waist. He knew it up to his chest. He knew the taste of lake water when you accidentally swallow it \u2014 a little grassy, a little cool. He knew how fun it was to splash around in the shallows \u2014 to jump, splash around with his dad, look for small pebbles on the bottom.<\/p>\n\n
But further on \u2014 where the water became deeper and darker, where the bottom was no longer visible \u2014 Ivanko didn't swim. He was afraid.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cSon,\u201d Dad said on Wednesday, \u201ctry to sail a little further today.\u201d.<\/p>\n\n
"Where I can't reach with my legs?"<\/p>\n\n
"There. I'll be right there. In the water. Like a wall.".<\/p>\n\n
Ivanko looked at his dad. Dad was tall, broad-shouldered, wearing swimming goggles that he pushed down on his forehead. His smile was calm.<\/p>\n\n
"What if I go to the bottom?"<\/p>\n\n
"You won't go. The water won't let you go. You saw a leaf lying on the water - it doesn't sink. Because the water holds it.".<\/p>\n\n
"I'm not a leaf. I'm heavier.".<\/p>\n\n
"But water holds it harder. You're like a big leaf.".<\/p>\n\n
Ivanko smiled. The thought of himself as a big leaf seemed funny.<\/p>\n\n
They entered the water together. Dad in front, Ivanko behind him, holding on to Dad's hand. First \u2014 up to his waist. Then \u2014 up to his chest. Then the water rose up to Ivanko's shoulders. Here he stopped.<\/p>\n\n
"Dad. It's deep here.".<\/p>\n\n
"Deep. But I'm here.".<\/p>\n\n
Dad took a step back. He held out his hands.<\/p>\n\n
\u2014 Lie down on the water. Like this \u2014 on your back. Relax your legs, relax your arms. Breathe calmly.<\/p>\n\n
Ivanko slowly leaned back. At first it seemed to him that he was about to fall under the water. His heart was pounding.<\/p>\n\n
\u2014 Dad, I'm falling!<\/p>\n\n
"Don't fall. Breathe.".<\/p>\n\n
Ivanko took a deep breath. He closed his eyes. And suddenly he felt the water lift him up\u2014gently, like a big warm palm. His back lay on the water. His ears were hidden under it\u2014and the whole world became a little quieter, with a distant hum.<\/p>\n\n
\u2014 I'm lying down!<\/p>\n\n
\u2014 You're lying down. He's holding you.<\/p>\n\n
Ivanko lay there for a while longer. The sun shone through his closed eyelids\u2014orange, like a small bonfire. Dad stood nearby\u2014Ivanko felt his presence without even looking.<\/p>\n\n
Then Ivanko returned to the counter.<\/p>\n\n
"And try it now. A few steps away from me. Like a fish.".<\/p>\n\n
Ivanko took a step. Another one. Another one. He couldn't reach the bottom\u2014and it was scary, but interesting at the same time. He waved his arms, as they had taught him\u2014as if he were stroking the water. And the water carried him. Not fast, not far\u2014but it carried him.<\/p>\n\n
Dad swam alongside. He didn't touch me, but he was there.<\/p>\n\n
When Ivanko turned to his dad and grabbed his hand, he was proud, wet, and a little out of breath.<\/p>\n\n
\u2014 I swam, Dad!<\/p>\n\n
\u2014 I swam.<\/p>\n\n
\u2014 Bottomless!<\/p>\n\n
\u2014 Bottomless.<\/p>\n\n
"Why was I afraid before?"<\/p>\n\n
Dad thought.<\/p>\n\n
"Because I haven't tried it. Fear lives where nothing has been tried yet. And when you try it, it diminishes. Like a lump of sugar in tea.".<\/p>\n\n
On the way home, in the car, Ivanko sat wrapped in a towel, like a little cake. His wet hair was drying on his lap. He was tired in a good way \u2014 as one can be tired after something important.<\/p>\n\n
\u2014 Dad.<\/p>\n\n
\u2014 What, son?<\/p>\n\n
\u2014 Shall we swim again tomorrow?<\/p>\n\n
\u2014 Let's swim.<\/p>\n\n
\u2014 And the day after tomorrow?<\/p>\n\n
\u2014 And the day after tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n
Ivanko smiled and leaned his cheek against the cool window. Outside the window, pine trees stretched. The water of the lake remained behind - calm, warm. It held on to the promise to carry Ivanko.<\/p>\n\n\n
\ud83d\udca1 Water holds those who trust it.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n
Ivanko didn't want to swim further - where it was deeper. Dad stood next to him. Ivanko took a breath - and the water lifted him up like a palm.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":3331,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","rank_math_description":"","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_focus_keyword":""},"class_list":["post-2428","istoriya","type-istoriya","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kazkaland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/istoriya\/2428","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kazkaland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/istoriya"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kazkaland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/istoriya"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kazkaland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kazkaland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}