My wife, my hero - lessons learned about OW class for a water timid person

[TMHeimer]

I enjoyed your story as well. Some thoughts:
--Too bad about her having to finish OW in a different place. I had that situation with Nitrox course (I did half as part of my AOW/Adventure dive) and paid for the whole course again back home. I think this happens quite a bit.
--Very interesting that your wife was much more anxious on the surface than underwater. Usually (and obviously) the reverse is true. No matter, she finished. My wife can't dive--not fear of water or being underwater, but claustrophobia in that she would feel trapped/restricted in a wetsuit (she has real trouble with those MRIs as well). Unfortunately, that is probably incurable.
--My favourite point is the start of your post when you described the somewhat extensive pool time, snorkeling, finning she did PRIOR to starting the course. Kudos! I recall a few students from OW courses I assisted on who should have done that, as it's just logical. "I have a fear of (being under) water, but saw the sign by the shop and thought scuba would be they way to go", etc. You guys did it the right way.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Well done to you and your wife. Thank you for posting about it. Your posts will no doubt be of great benefit to those other water timid people who read it. Too often people feel they are alone or unusual in their stress levels and it helps to know that isn't the case.

Reading your post reminded me of a thread from a few years ago and prompted me to put the link in my sig line. Your wife may find some value in reading Confessions of an unlikely diver She will find out she is far from alone in her struggles.

All the best for a wonderful family adventure. These kinds of family activities set the pattern for lifelong shared experiences. I used to tell my X that if he didn't find time to have fun with our son when he was young , the son would not find time for him when he was old. We are now divorced and I live on the other side of the world from my son. In spite of the distance my son and I talk more often and spend more time together than he and his father who lives in the same town. I took the time to do things with him when he was young and the pattern continues. In the end the shared experiences bind us together and the dollars spent don't matter.

 

[Neilwood]

Well done to you and your wife. Thank you for posting about it. Your posts will no doubt be of great benefit to those other water timid people who read it. Too often people feel they are alone or unusual in their stress levels and it helps to know that isn't the case.

Reading your post reminded me of a thread from a few years ago and prompted me to put the link in my sig line. Your wife may find some value in reading Confessions of an unlikely diver She will find out she is far from alone in her struggles.

All the best for a wonderful family adventure. These kinds of family activities set the pattern for lifelong shared experiences. I used to tell my X that if he didn't find time to have fun with our son when he was young , the son would not find time for him when he was old. We are now divorced and I live on the other side of the world from my son. In spite of the distance my son and I talk more often and spend more time together than he and his father who lives in the same town. I took the time to do things with him when he was young and the pattern continues. In the end the shared experiences bind us together and the dollars spent don't matter.

It is a hard lesson to learn that, at the end of the day, time is what is expensive (there is never enough) and money is cheap (you will almost always get more if you need/want it enough).

That is why I had a long hard look at my life at the start of the year (various family and friends had died in the last few years) and changed a number of things with regards to my outlook.

 

[Marie13]

@bowlofpetunias thanks for linking to that thread. That's a great one! I can so relate. By anyone's standards, I shouldn't have taken up diving, let alone keep on doing it!

 

[Schwob]

Give your wife a high five and a hug, she definitely deserves it.

... She looked a bit funny at me getting another high five out of the blue, but then had that "Yeah, I really did it grin"...

 

[Schwob]

It is a hard lesson to learn that, at the end of the day, time is what is expensive...

So true.

 

[Schwob]

Well done to you and your wife. Thank you for posting about it. Your posts will no doubt be of great benefit to those other water timid people who read it. Too often people feel they are alone or unusual in their stress levels and it helps to know that isn't the case.

Reading your post reminded me of a thread from a few years ago and prompted me to put the link in my sig line. Your wife may find some value in reading Confessions of an unlikely diver She will find out she is far from alone in her struggles.

All the best for a wonderful family adventure. These kinds of family activities set the pattern for lifelong shared experiences. I used to tell my X that if he didn't find time to have fun with our son when he was young , the son would not find time for him when he was old. We are now divorced and I live on the other side of the world from my son. In spite of the distance my son and I talk more often and spend more time together than he and his father who lives in the same town. I took the time to do things with him when he was young and the pattern continues. In the end the shared experiences bind us together and the dollars spent don't matter.

Thanks!
& good thread that you linked to.

 

[Neilwood]

@bowlofpetunias thanks for linking to that thread. That's a great one! I can so relate. By anyone's standards, I shouldn't have taken up diving, let alone keep on doing it!

But look at you now. You have become a good recreational diver and you are even looking at tech diving. Who'd a thunk it when you started?

 

[Marie13]

But look at you now. You have become a good recreational diver and you are even looking at tech diving. Who'd a thunk it when you started?

Yeah, it's enough to boggle anyone's brain!

 

[admikar]

Congatulations!