It started with the guilt.
My pool, once a jewel of clear blue joy, had turned cloudy. Not just physically, but spiritually. Like it was reflecting the chaos in my own head.
I had shocked it too hard. And too late.
Chapter One: The Regret
The chlorine was strong. Too strong. I dumped it in like punishment.
But the water did not heal. It fought back. Turned murky, confused, and sour.
The pH rose, like my frustration. The filter clogged, like my thoughts.
My test strips mocked me.
“You waited too long,” they whispered.
Chapter Two: The Apology
I stood at the edge of the pool, skimmer in one hand, guilt in the other.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I ignored you. I thought I could skip brushing. I was wrong.”
The walls stared back, coated with slick regret. Algae, oils, sunscreen residue, all clinging like shame.
And so, I began.
Chapter Three: The Cleansing
I brushed the walls like I was cleaning my soul.
Every stroke a confession. Every pass a promise.
I scrubbed away the green ghosts of neglect. The scum of shortcuts. The grime of good intentions gone sour.
My hand ached. My heart swelled. The water rippled with hope.
Chapter Four: The Truth About Me And My Filter
I had lied to myself.
“I backwashed last week,” I said. I hadn’t.
The filter was heavy with my dishonesty. A cartridge full of consequences.
I cleaned it. Soaked it in degreaser. Rinsed it like I was trying to cleanse my past.
And for the first time in weeks, it breathed. And so did I.
Chapter Five: Rebalancing More Than Water
I stopped blaming the chlorine.
It wasn’t too weak. I was just too inconsistent.
The pH rose because I didn’t check it. The alkalinity spiked because I didn’t adjust it.
Balance was not something you dump in. It was something you tend.
Like a relationship.
Like a soul.
Chapter Six: Clarity Returns
The water was still. Then clear.
The sparkle returned like forgiveness.
I didn’t deserve it. But it gave it anyway.
Because that’s what pools do.
They reflect. They reveal. They redeem.
The Poolside Revelation
- Brushing is love.
- Testing is honesty.
- Filter cleaning is redemption.
- Balance is the result of consistent effort.
My pool didn’t need more chlorine. It needed me to pay attention.
And I will.
Forever, or until the next time I forget.
But today, it’s clear. And so am I.
