This morning I arrived at my swimming class and encountered a new coach. Initially, I thought I had erred in the time for my regular class, but eventually I was assured that I had not erred but that there was a substitute coach for today.
During the class, I felt more relaxed, confident, and less stressful and anxious. I observed that every swimmer, notwithstanding their swimming competencies, finished the routine almost together – the weaker swimmers, like myself, were waited upon to complete one routine before instructions for the next were given; clear instructions were communicated so that all the swimmers understood, and without some asking, “What were the instructions?”
At the end of the class, I engaged the new coach in a conversation and shared my observations in comparison to previous coaches. In response, he said, “Experience teaches coaches the art of carrying the whole group together.”
“WOW!” I exclaimed to myself. “This is synodality: Carrying the whole group together.”
Beloved Reflections 