I'm sorry you had to deal with that. This is an example that clearly illustrates such a fundamental philosophical problem with our society. Your dad could never fix his mistake, but he could have dramatically reduced the enduring pain by acknowledging his mistake. His refusal to do so ultimately magnified the impact of his abusive behavior. I never got thrown into a lake, but I can identify with a parent who refuses to recognize a mistake. Thanks for the comment. My mother is a swimming instructor and she's often commented on helping people "erase" that horrible experience.