Overcoming Fear: Douglas’s Journey to Conquer Water
Why Was Douglas Determined to Overcome His Fear of Water?
The near-drowning experience left a lasting impact on Douglas, marring his enjoyment of water sports like fishing, canoeing, boating, and swimming. Determined to live without this fear, he resolved to overcome it at any cost.
Why Did His Mother Warn Him Against the River Yakima?
His mother warned Douglas about the River Yakima because it was treacherous, with several drowning incidents having occurred there. She didn’t want her children near it.
What Complex Did Douglas Have at the Pool? What Did He Do?
Douglas, a skinny child with underdeveloped muscles, felt ashamed to expose his lean legs at the pool. Subduing his pride, he walked in anyway.
The Misadventure: Emotions, Fears, and Plans
William Douglas recounts a terrifying childhood experience where he nearly drowned. As a young boy, he was tossed into a nine-foot-deep swimming pool. He experienced the stark terror of dying as he sank. He planned to push off the bottom with all his force, paddle to the edge upon surfacing, but the strategy didn’t work as expected.
How Did the Instructor ‘Build a Swimmer’ Out of Douglas?
Determined to overcome his fear, Douglas hired an instructor who built a swimmer out of him gradually. First, a belt was placed around him, attached to a pulley on an overhead cable. For three months, he moved back and forth across the pool. Next, he learned to exhale underwater and inhale by raising his nose. Later, he practiced kicking at the side of the pool. Thus, a swimmer was built, inch by inch.
‘All We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself’: Commentary
When William Douglas finally overcame his fear of water, he recalled Roosevelt’s words: there is terror only in the fear of death. ‘All we have to fear is fear itself’ means that fear resides within us. With determination, we can conquer it. If there is no fear in our heart or mind, then there is no fear at all.
How Did Douglas Overcome His Fear of Water?
The fear that gripped Douglas after the near-drowning accident struck him many times. Finally, in October, he engaged an instructor and began learning to swim, practicing five days a week for an hour each day. The instructor understood the magnitude of the problem and devised a method where Douglas’s waist was attached to a rope that went through a pulley. The instructor held the rope as Douglas swam back and forth. Douglas could feel confident because of this.
The instructor also taught Douglas to exhale underwater and inhale by raising his nose. He made him kick with his legs so that he could command them. From October to April, Douglas perfected his swimming. To get rid of his childhood fear, he subjected himself to rigorous tests. After that, he practiced in the pool until July. Still not satisfied, he went to Lake Wentworth. The liquid filled old traces of air coming back, but he dropped them away by sheer grit and determination. To be double sure, he dove into the warm lake. His joy knew no bounds because he had conquered his fear ultimately.