My Swan Song...Literally!

Today, I will extol the virtues of old age. 

Ha!! I promise this is really Heather writing.

But, this is likely a one and done on the topic- as we all know I am in a serious battle against the effects of aging. BUT, sometimes you realize age has its privileges!!

When Iz and Lil decided they loved swimming (more than 15 years ago) Lance and I became pretty involved in the summer swim team. We were so clueless, but we jumped in head first cause we saw how much our girls loved being at the pool. Eventually, we sorta took over the swim team. It was gradual- never a plan, we just wanted to help make the kids’ experience as fun as possible. 

Lance actually did all the real work. He got certified for stroke & turn/ refereeing  and all that complicated stuff. He became the team rep. I gravitated to the fun stuff. I handled apparel and spirit. Cute swimsuits, face paint, and clever t-shirts were my jam! My favorite was running the weekly pep rallies. We painted banners, made a royal mess with tie dye…learned cheers, and celebrated our accomplishments, big and small. Our final pep rally each summer was Lip Sync, and there were always some epic performances. 

Year after year it always made me so happy to see how sweet the big kids were with the little kids. How the shy kids gradually warmed up and by the end of the season, they were front and center leading cheers or on stage performing their rendition of ROAR by Katy Perry! (A swim pep rally classic!) For summer swim at our club, it doesn’t matter if you are fast or slow; everyone on the team is of equal importance! And for me, summer swim has way less to do with what happens in the pool. I love all the lessons learned and memories that are made outside the water!

So this Friday night was the end of an era for me. I came to the realization that there are so many fun young families that might have a fresh perspective on pep rallies. (Plus Izzy and Lil are unsure of their plans for next summer. Izzy will be a full time nurse and Lil hopes to have a law/policy internship, and they have always done a ton to help me with the spirit committee!)

So I passed the torch. But for 15+ years, I have watched these kids shed their inhibitions and get up and perform Lip Syncs in front of their teammates at the end of the season.  I always marveled at how none of them took themselves too seriously.  They just got up there and had fun.  I think I always wished I was a bit more like a kid. But this Friday night, I was grateful I was an oldie. I no longer sweat the small stuff. Maybe it's because I have been doing the same thing for so many years, or maybe I finally feel comfortable in my old saggy skin. Maybe it’s a combination of age, and surrounding myself with so many great people that make me feel like the rock star of summer swim team pep rally planning!!!

For the first time in all these years, on Friday night Lance and I performed a lip sync with our kids. We didn’t know all the words. We didn't choreograph any complex routines. But it seemed appropriate to celebrate the “Good Old Days”....our swan song if you will!

If I could share one little piece of wisdom to all you young parents it's that time really does fly. Looking back, I rushed around so much when my kids were little. Savor all the time you have with your kids. Thankfully, I still have Bensten and Boeden who will hopefully follow in their sister’s footsteps at the pool….But with our youngest child having just turned eleven…..

“I wish somebody would have told me babe

Some day, these will be the good old days

All the love you won't forget

And all these reckless nights you won't regret

Someday soon, your whole life's gonna change

You'll miss the magic of these good old days

…

Never thought we'd get old, maybe we're still young

Maybe we always look back and think it was better than it was

Maybe these are the moments

Maybe I've been missing what it's about

Been scared of the future, thinking about the past

While missing out on now

We've come so far, I guess I'm proud

And I ain't worried about the wrinkles around my smile

I've got some scars, I've been around

I've felt some pain, I've seen some things, but I'm here now

Those good old days

You don't know, what you've got

Till it goes, till it's gone

You don't know, what you've got

Till it goes, till it's gone”

I will miss my time planning pep rallies- but I hand selected my successor- and something tells me there are lots of fun Friday nights in The Schillers future ;)

(Attached is our swan song- but Lil was shadowing a judge, so Elisabeth dressed like Lil and did a great job standing in!! And the final song of the night was my favorite- totally impromptu, all the kids jumped on stage together! ♥️