After seeing the picture of the frog over here, thoughts that might have shot across your minds could be something like, say,

Is this the frog that Girija is going to kiss & who is going to turn into her charming beloved?

Has she been to some wild life expedition wherein she has explored the lifestyle of species of frogs, which she intends to write about?

Now before you start getting more inquisitive, let me tell you, the diving posture of the frog exactly resembles my first dive. (to be more precise that’s how my coach plunged me into the pool)

My swimming mania started when I was in the 3rd Grade & I got myself enrolled for that year’s summer camp. On the very 1st day of the camp as I stood by the poolside I could feel my excitement being pulled down by the volcanic goose bumps that were making their presence felt within me. I thought I could see and hear the diving board (which stood some 12-15th feet tall) and the deeper side of the pool making fun of me and challenging me … “wanna try me …. Baby come closer... See I how I’m gonna throw you high and my friend below is going to gulp u downL”.

I decided, come what may I’m going to learn to swim “BUT only in SHALLOW water” where my legs touched the floor.

By the 11th day of the camp, I had become the “Princess of Shallow water”, with all credits to the expert guidance of my coach. However, the time had come & I guess our coach had very smartly
Chalked out the “Killer Plan”. “The Killer Plan” was to kill the phobia of altitude and depth from within our innocent minds.
Everyday a few would fall prey to the “Killer Plan” and come out “Victorious” :-) . I thought, I was smart enough to dodge the preying eyes of my coach.

But, alas, the day came when my Coach just dragged the skinny me to the midst of the pool and told me to find my way back to safety. I tried my best to cling on to Him, but he just disappeared into the water … I thought,may be my legs would hit the floor but the only thing that hit me was water …water … water …everywhere ….here and there .Then the only thing that I remember is vibrantly rowing the water with both my hands and legs till I finally reached the edge of the pool. And when I finally stabilized myself and opened my eyes, I saw my coach right beside me smiling and showing me the V-sign.
I realized he had successfully killed the depth phobia from within me. That day I learnt, “To swim one doesn’t have to measure the depth of the water.”

However, the altitude phobia was still residing within me. I told my coach,”I just wan’t to swim, I don’t want to dive and all.”
“It’s your wish, but at least come up over to the diving board and see your friends take the dive.” Was all that my coach said .
That was so kind of him ,I thought. I climbed up to the diving board and saw my friends bravely plunge into the pool one after the other. When everyone had finished taking their dives, I turned to climb down ,& I heard my coach say “Your turn child”. I was dumbstruck. To one end was the diving board and on the other end was my coach standing like my opponent on a boxing ring, all ready to attack me …. I was howling at the top of my voice, pleading to be spared . And then all I could remember is being thrown into the air & just like the frog in the picture …my legs were dangling in the air , my hands were wide apart (trying to catch hold of the winds I guess) and “SPLASH” I go down deep into pool and like a spring action I just swam up (but this time I had gulped up enough water) to safety ….. “Thereby killing my fear of altitudes.. :-) ”

And, yes from the next day onwards I swam less and dived more J …
All thanks to my coach “Mr.Anand Patil” .