Floating

Can you imagine yourself feeling sad and depressed while floating in a pool on a warm summer day?
I don’t think you can. No matter what worries you might be carrying around in your head, they’re bound to be muted in a place designed to make you feel happy and relaxed. Obviously, your problems won’t go away by magic, but for a few hours you get that much needed respite. The brain rests itself and at the end of a nice day you’ll get a more positive outlook on life.

I was thinking about this yesterday, at the pool that we’ve been meaning to get to for weeks, but could not because of the weather.
The water-lilies in the picture grow on a small pond in the middle of this place and and I couldn’t help thinking how similar they are to the people floating around in the pool a few yards away. I guess it’s the holiday atmosphere, the knowledge that for the next few hours the only problems you’ll have to face are the choice between the several pools available or what coffee to get.
Than my thoughts drifted towards fantasy land and I imagined a world were people would be encouraged to take such small breaks every week or at least twice a month. Many companies around here have health plans for their employees and I’ve heard people going for their required annual check-up even if there’s nothing bothering them (a concept I have trouble understanding). I know this is important for many, but still I wonder if these employees wouldn’t benefit more from regular relax day. Just as you wouldn’t want your employer finding out you didn’t go to your check-up, you’d have to go to a pool and swim and clear your thoughts and let go of your problems. I don’t know, the company could pay for some sort of membership, but I think they’d get their money back in terms of productivity. (For instance, I was expecting I’d be too tired from too much sun and swimming yesterday, but last night I did manage to make supper, have the towels washed, see a TV show and write an article that needed quite a bit of research - not bad I guess.)
I have a friend I keep telling she should go to this pool after work, but she prefers to medicate her extreme boredom with chocolate and, obviously, hates what she sees in the mirror.
Like her, there are millions of people out there suffering with exhaustion, mental or physical, people who are depressed and go through their days with the help of various chemicals. I was just reading that the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK has issued new guidelines on anti-depressants after coming to the conclusion that the withdrawal symptoms are not ‘mild’ as doctors have been insisting for years, but quite ‘severe’. In other words, patients get addicted to that shit and it's very hard to stop using pills, something Big Pharma has been trying to hide for years.

Some time ago, while doing some research on depression, I came across the opinion of a doctor from the 18th or 19th century who recommended to his patients suffering from ‘melancholy’ to travel, enjoy their favorite music and other pleasant activities, meant to relax. Public pools were not a thing back then, but I have no doubt that doctor would certainly agree a day spent swimming and lazying around in the sun does wonders for the mind.
One other thing, you don’t need to use money around the complex (you pay with an electronic bracelet) so people are encouraged to leave all their belongings in the lockers, including phones. All you need is your towel… Just imagine a few hours away from technology - no emails, no calls from an angry client, no reminders of any kind, no checking Coinmarket… nothing else matters except you relaxing for a few hours.
I only got out my phone for a couple of minutes to take a few shots and than put it away again.
We all need a break sometime.

Thanks for reading