awake

(The following post comes from a conversation I had with my sister, Sue. She was retelling

a story she had heard of a woman who began challenging herself to try

new things and how she found joy in the process. We developed our own

challenge from there.)

She stood at the precipice

looking at the cool depths

below.

Her heart was beating quickly

and she found she

had to actually focus on her

breathing

to quiet the rumblings

inside.

Was it fear she was staring down?

Excitement of the unknown?

As if in answer

her eyes were drawn to her toenails

and a month-old painting

that had been hiding behind

woolen socks.

A chuckle escaped from her

and with it a release...

she knew

it was

 time.

Time to take the plunge.

Swimming in her youth felt like

freedom.

Moments of complete abandon

that somehow

had been misplaced as the years

piled on.

The last time she stood in this spot

anticipating a good lap swim

had been years.

The once three-times-a-week routine had been nudged aside

to make room for...

something else.

An old activity that now

brought with it a bit of

stress

and

anxiety

in its newness.

Good stress.

Good anxiety.

The kind that reminded her

that she was

alive.

She had successfully
arrived to
that
point of no return.

The next morning

her body ached from a long forgotten

coma

and she felt

truly

awake.

Tag...you're it!

 (Yeah Sue, I mean you!)

and anyone else who knows what the heck I'm talking about!