Happy 4th of July Weekend! Last week, we shared an emotional and lovely flash essay that came out of the Narratively Academy prompt to tell us about an act of love. (Thank you to everyone’s kind emails! ♥️) We don’t often post more than one essay from these contests, but sometimes there are just a few that really get us — this was one of those times. Head below to read the poignant piece from the runner-up.
In December 2022, I was healing from a bilateral mastectomy to treat the breast cancer that had felt like “not a matter of if, but when” since my mother’s diagnosis decades ago. The surgical nurse had given me strict instructions to keep my arms at my sides for several weeks as the incisions healed. “We call them Tyrannosaurus rex arms,” she’d said, smiling. I resented the lighthearted description, the implication that putting a silly spin on things could erase the gravity of what was happening.
Walking was the only movement I was permitted while recovering, but the frigid Wisconsin winter meant heading outdoors wasn’t an option. So I walked sad circles around the dining room table, my confused dog trailing behind me. I missed being able to go for a jog on a whim or blow-dry my hair without help. But most of all, I missed my regular lap swimming dates with a group of women I’d come to consider close friends.
One day in January, one of the women dropped by to deliver homemade chicken soup — and a gift bag. I peeked inside to see a midnight blue swimsuit.
“It’s our new training suit,” my friend said. She had purchased a matching one for herself.
Unsure when I’d return to the water, I hadn’t planned on buying a new suit. Now I clung to my friend’s unspoken assurance: This is temporary. You’ll be back.
Months later I rejoined her at the pool, my arms stiff and my chest tight, as if a giant rubber band was stretched across my upper body. The long-awaited swim left me breathless. But clad in my new suit, with my friend in the lane next to me, I felt buoyant.
Gina Rich lives in Wisconsin, where she writes about relationships, health and travel. You can connect with her on her website at www.lovehopeandcoffee.com.
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