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__Finding Courage__ I was a timid boy who is always scared of doing simple things like asking my teacher questions despite all the encouragements from my family and friends. Whenever I was asked to do simple things like buying things or going cycling, I would shake my head and say: "No!" and then state the consequences that may happen. My mother said that I was too lazy to bother to do such a simple thing like that.Sheesh! She just does not understand me. That was what I had always thought until that fateful day...

My mother had always wanted me to be able to swim and had been pushing me to swim for a very long time but I always refused, saying that I was scared of sharks and crocodiles.I knew that was stupid but that was my personality! Whenever she asked me to swim, I would give excuses that I had hydrophobia or that I had hurt my arm or leg. She had always believed me and trusted me. She would wait until the next day and the next, and the next. Unfortunately, after a while, she started to stop believing my silly excuses and forced me to swim. The day soon came when I had to go and swim.

In the morning of the worst day of my life, I hoped my mother had forgotten about the lesson. No. She had remembered it very clearly, and was not taking any excuses. She brought me to the Bishan swimming complex. After traveling for a while, we had arrived. My mother introduced me to the instructor. He looked like a baby, staring at me. I thought of a nickname suitable for him, baby.

While they were talking, I thought, "Time for killer excuse." "I forgot to bring my swimming suit", I told the instructor. But he was a well-trained instructor. And I could tell. He had one big bag of costumes: bikinis, trunks, childish swimsuits, etc. He made me squeeze into the tiniest, smallest, smelliest pair of trunks of the bag. I felt like an apple, being squeezed into tiny bits. He had taught me silly strokes like...a...bee-style? Yes. Not forgetting breadth-stroke and bash-stroke. I was sitting on the edge of the side of the 50 meter by 30 meter swimming pool, happy to see that the swimming coach was gone.

Suddenly, I heard cries, like one of a baby's. I saw a boy drowning in the pool and he also looked like he had fainted. The lifeguard too, was not there. It was up to me. At that moment, I had forgotten about the trunks, forgotten the strokes and also had forgotten about the people in the pool. The only thing in my brain was to save that boy. I had to.I jumped into the pool and swam with all my might and carried the boy while treading water. I did it! I made it! Then, I saw the swimming coach. He was not peeing in his diapers. No. He was there, just staring at me. Next, I took a closer look at the boy. It was a fake! No wonder "he" was so light and looked so horrendous and light.

This was a test. I had made it! I had passed with flying colours! I was so excited that I nearly hit the wall in the swimming pool. The instructor was a few metres away and was running towards me, his face filled with excitement, ready to burst. As he approached me, he began shouting," You passed, even though this is your first lesson! You already have passed the test for bronze! My faced turned red with embarrassment and excitement, and then began to create a broad smile on my face.

With my new impression of swimming, I did very well, passing my the silver, gold, and gold star tests! I want to be a coach too!!!

 J  J J