How to Build a Pool Without Drowning in it

How to Build a Pool Without Drowning in It

The political climate right now is exhausting. Everything feels loud, rigid, and reactive. Every issue gets flattened into a binary choice: this side or that side, right or wrong, red or blue. There’s very little room left for nuance, curiosity, or honesty.

But real life doesn’t work like that.

And real solutions don’t either.

I tend to believe that when we stop forcing everything into strict political categories, we actually get closer to solutions that work. Most people aren’t trying to be difficult. They’re trying to solve problems from where they’re standing.

So let’s talk about building a pool.

The Pool We All Want

Most of us want the same things, even if we argue about how to get there. We want safety, opportunity, relief, and systems that don’t make life harder than it already is. We want something that helps people cool off instead of boiling over.

That’s the pool.

The problem is, we usually jump straight into fighting about who should pay for it, who should control it, and who deserves access, without ever stopping to look at the land we’re building on.

Not Every Backyard Is the Same

Here’s the part we don’t talk about enough: not every backyard is the same.

Some people are working with flat land. The ground is ready. You can dig, build, and swim without much trouble. In-ground pools make sense there. They’re efficient and cost-effective.

Other people are building into mountains.

The ground is uneven. The soil is unstable. You could spend years, and a lot of money, just trying to level the space before you ever see water. Even with more resources, you can’t erase the reality of the land.

Ignoring that difference leads to bad decisions and worse judgment.

When the “Best” Option Isn’t the Right One

We tend to get stuck on the idea of the perfect solution, the in-ground pool, because it looks like success. But sometimes it’s not the smartest move.

In some spaces, an above-ground pool does the job just fine. In others, a hot tub makes more sense. It still provides relief, rest, and connection without wrecking the yard.

And sometimes, after really looking at the situation, you realize you don’t need a pool at all.

The problem comes when we insist that everyone needs the same solution, regardless of where they’re starting.

Starting Low and Building Up

I’m someone who started low and worked my way up, which means my build has never followed a clean, predictable timeline.

I still catch myself wondering why it’s taken me longer to get where I want to be.

But the truth is, I wasn’t just climbing.

I was fixing the ground underneath me first.

With my starting point, the foundation matters more. If the systems underneath aren’t stable, structure, support, pacing, everything built on top of them cracks. So before I could build upward, I had to level the land.

That work doesn’t get applause. It doesn’t move fast. And it doesn’t look impressive from the outside.

But skipping it would have caused everything else to collapse.

When your space has always been ready, it can be hard to understand why someone would choose a smaller pool. It can look like settling. Or lack of ambition.

But when you’ve spent years just making the land usable, your definition of success changes.

Perspective Changes Everything

People make choices based on the ground they’re standing on. What looks like a lesser choice from one backyard might be the most responsible option from another.

Some people aren’t behind.

They’re preparing.

Some people aren’t avoiding growth.

They’re protecting what they’ve already built.

When we slow down enough to recognize that, political arguments lose some of their heat. Not because everyone agrees, but because we stop assuming our solution should work everywhere.

Workable Beats Perfect

I have a hard time with one-size-fits-all answers. Real life is more complicated than that.

Sometimes we spend years leveling land, burning time, money, and energy, only to realize the original plan was never right for the space. Choosing a different path isn’t failure. It’s common sense.

Quick note: my husband insists I add a complete blueprint and step-by-step guide; he's already marking my faux plumbing notes with a red pen. This is not a construction manual (please don’t give it to a contractor). The goal isn’t to teach concrete pouring; it’s to acknowledge that everyone begins in different places. Let's pause the debate over precise measurements to assist each other in cooling down and finding a genuine connection.

Where Harmony Actually Lives

What frustrates me most about politics right now isn’t disagreement; it’s that everyone is fighting while almost no one is building.

Harmony doesn’t come from forcing the same outcome on everyone. It comes from understanding different starting points.

You don’t have to want the same pool to respect why someone built theirs the way they did.

The goal was never the pool.

It was relief. Safety. Connection.

And a way to cool off, without drowning in the process.