I broke away from Mathew and went to the deep end of the pool. I dove in headfirst, my extended arms cutting effortlessly through the water. I took a deep breath, kicked off from the side, and swam the length of the pool for the first time. Nothing else was going through my head as I kept talking. After such a wonderful day with Mathew, I was already in a position of utter contentment, but now I felt even more at one with the world.

When I needed to catch my breath, I stopped and propped my arms on the tiled edge of the pool. With a smile on my...