A few days after we moved in, Katherine, who as about 2 at the time, was playing by the pool. I was nearby–I am not sure how far away, but I saw her and thought she was safe but I was alert. I looked away for a moment and looked back just as she toppled into the pool. I ran over as fast as I could and looked down to see a sight that is emblazoned on my memory, even today nearly 25 years later. She was looking up from about 6 inches under the water with huge eyes, kicking and paddling with no hope of getting out. I reached down and grabbed her, pulled her out to safety and held her close. She wrapped her arms and legs around me and wouldn’t let go for a while. I remember how I would never let anything happen to her and it made me even more determined that she would be safe at any cost. The fence went up immediately.
She is on her own now and doesn’t need me much, but I still want to keep her safe because I love her way more than I love my own life.
Mountain Majesties 