most popular forms of physical activity, even among otherwise sedentary individuals. Throughout the centuries swimming has also been a vital skill for many people and cultures to provide for themselves, whether for fishing, pearl diving, and other activities to reap the bounties of the sea.  Swimming is a great way of getting exercise, especially for those who have health problems that make traditional exercise difficult due to weaknesses, arthritis, difficulty moving, degenerative diseases. The buoyant nature of water makes it much easier on those with physical limitations to get out and have a good time, and the act of coursing through the water is often described as feeling a bit like flying! Furthermore, its low impact nature allows those whose movement would otherwise be restricted to engage in a full body workout without causing further damage. Even those who are of advanced age can find an ability to remain active in this sport for a long time!  Swimmers tend to engage in the activity for longer than other forms of exercise, and the act of swimming often engages the entire body while moving through the water. This results in the body drawing on large supplies of oxygen during almost all stages of the activity. Other benefits include a reduction in stress related illnesses and it can even improve posture! Due to its full body nature, this sport is also excellent for building cardiovascular and respiratory health, increasing how much oxygen the body is able to take advantage, as well as how much blood the heart is able to move with each stroke.  Swim a Lap Day reminds us that any activity is better than remaining sedentary, and a single lap is a great way to get a start on a healthful and engaging exercise that can involve the whole family.  More importantly in many ways, swimming is not just a good life skill to have but it can also be a life-saving skill too. Even if you aren't a member of the local neighborhood pool at some point in your life you will find yourself on a pool deck or on a lake or at the beach. Tragically, all too often we hear stories about people, and especially kids, playing around the water carefree and drowning. This happens for many reasons but mainly because (1) they are not mindful - and may not even know of - the potential dangers around them and (2) do not have the skills needed to get themselves out of them. Often times kids who don't know how to swim have parents who also don't know how to swim. So when the kid begins to struggle the parents have no way to help them; many times those parents die in the attempt as well.   With the number of community pools in our area and our proximity to so many great lakes, beaches, and rivers it's easy to assume that everyone learns how to swim. However, that is far from true. It's a sad fact that minority and under-privileged populations are at most risk of drowning by a large margin because they do not have access to aquatic centers with training programs. Fortunately, there are national programs with local branches run by the YMCA and Triangle Aquatic Center that are dedicated to providing swim lessons to both kids and adults for either low-cost or no-cost so we can start turning that terrible trend around. The adult programs are especially important because it can be an awkward skill to learn later in life but it gives them greater confidence in themselves and allows them to help others, especially their kids, when needed.