Friday, April 18, 2008 by Allan in Allan's Thoughts, General Blog Posts, Some Nice Quotes

Many people wonder how someone can just open their eyes underwater just like that. Does it not hurt? Can you actually see clearly underwater? The truth is, it is really easy to do it and it does hurt, and you actually do not see everything as clearly as out of water. Visibility is within 10 metres if its clear water with good light.

I used to be afraid of opening my eyes underwater. I supposed its an instinctive thing. Since young, I have never dare to open my eyes when it comes in contact with water, shampooing, swimming, water bombs or even when I was training to become an SAF lifeguard (we were allowed to use goggles).

It was only until when I was training to become a lifeguard under the Cardiff Council that I have made myself learn how to open my eyes underwater. It wasn’t easy to make that big step. I have to fight the 24 years old instinctive response, and force my eye muscles to open it wide. I had to practise at home in the bathtub. I did it in the end only because of survival instinct.

I love my then girlfriend a lot, and we really wanted to make our relationship work. So we decided that I had to go and stay in UK to let her family to get to know me better and also for her and myself to know each other better, earn some money and get married.

And that time I was working at a bakery. Not earning a lot unless I go for overtime work shifts. Then one day, I saw a notice about training to be a lifeguard, and potential earnings of a lifeguard is better than that of a bakery worker. So went on to take on the training, since I thought I went thru the SAF lifeguard training, and I am medic trained so basic life support will be really easy. Everything was easy until 1st day of training, we were told we cannot use goggles for the lap tests and rescue tests.

And because of that survival instinct, telling me I want to quit the bakery work, and I have to have a skill to earn better pay, that I went to push myself to open my eyes underwater. Before you know it, I was swimming like a dolphin underwater, literally. I could swim better and faster without the goggles, in actual fact.

So I think it was survival instinct and love that gave me the strength to overcome the fear of water into my eyes. I truly thinks that love can create miraculous things. The power of love can really change someone.

So how do you open your eyes underwater? My tips: Simply just hold your breath and open your eyes underwater, initially for a split second, then a few seconds, and then you will be able to open whenever you want for however long.

Today I am gonna share this nice little love quote.

“Love is what you make it and with whom you make it; it is what it is.”

I love you my wife. Thank you for your inspirations and support all this while and knowing that you will continue to inspire and support me. Let’s open our eyes under the water that lays ahead of us.