A Letter to People at the Pool
To the big dad in the Donald Duck swim trucks doing cannonballs off the diving board for your daughter. You should see how she beams and giggles when she watches you (her trusted adult, the one responsible for her safety and care) be completely carefree and silly. She LOVES it. She adores this version of you. Actually, she adores ALL of you. I'm assuming you have your own thoughts. Not so carefree ones. Thoughts about your body, your ability, your fathering. But I want to tell you that you are amazing. I want to tell you that your cannonballs are crashing headfirst into her anxiety about growing up, getting a period and wondering if she will ever love her changing body. Keep it up. You are lovely.
To the first-time mom with the 12-mile-wide sun hat, bouncing your 9-month-old in the shallow end. You should see how that babe stares at you. You worry about sun protection, the size of the foods you are offering and how each decision you make seems right and also wrong. Were you even meant to be a mother Meanwhile, this sweet one is finding you to be the most magical creature in their young existence. You are his world. No, universe. Everything else could fade away into inky, endless night, and if you were still there, he'd still have everything. You, just as you are, right now, are everything. Change nothing.
To the pair of seventeen-year-old girls, laying out, still beguiled with the sun and floppy haired boys. I overheard you talking about the breakup. The pain, frustration and confusion of a first love gone. I want you to know that the most important relationship you will probably ever have is the between the two of you. The ups and downs of your romances will be forever counter balanced by the steadiness of friendship. This chosen sisterhood is the elixir of love that you are looking for.
To the lesbian couple working hard to focus on applying sunscreen to your kids instead of the seedy side glances from the people next to you. I don't know what it is like to be you, but I do know at this pool there are far more people rooting for your family than you know. We think your family is beautiful, beloved and we want you to know you belong in every single space you walk into. And we are working every day to be faster at putting our bodies, our privilege and our resources toward making every space a safe place for you to walk into.
To the people at the pool, all with your own personal set of ducks not in a row, you are loved. I love you.
Rooting for YOU,
Celeste
SPOTLIGHT
Localeur is a community of tastemakers, creatives and "restless travelers" founded in 2013 by Joah Spearman. When planning your next trip, use Localeur to help you find the best of the best local scene in the city you are traveling to. With the help of local creatives in 180 cities, Joah and his team out of Austin, TX can help you plan the trip that helps you travel like a local.