I Swim To You

Surrounded by the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, I embraced the therapeutic massage of the rolling waves. Turning over onto my back to float , the brilliant blue sky and bright sun cast a great light upon my face. I closed my eyes and blocked out all the worries of the world. No plane crashes. No bombings. No diseases. My ears underwater blocked out all other noise in the universe except for my own breathing. The vibrations of my breaths were all part of the aquatic bliss. Quiet. Solitude. Peace. Breathe in. Breathe out.

And then a crack in the water. A violent splash and another. Stingray?? Baracuda ? Spanish mackerel ? Octopus? Bottle-nosed dolphin ? Sea turtle ??  Shark ???? Sunscreen and saltwater momentarily blinded me but then my eyes met his. I was face to face with my most precious four year old great nephew who proclaimed: " I SWIM TO YOU !!!". Grinning from ear to wet ear, proud of his accomplishment , he reached out his tiny bronzed hand.

He then proceeded to tell me great tales of the sea (entirely fabricated). It seems that unbeknownst to me, Baylor had been on many voyages and encountered many enormous sea creatures that would make Jules Verne tremble in fear. His pint sized hubris came back to reality when, still grinning, he said: " I cannot stand up here" notifying me that the water was over his head. "I know, I've got you buddy", I reassured him.

The two of us hung on to each other enjoying the sea for a while.  We savored the soothing saltwater and watched seagulls and pelicans fly overhead. I learned of Baylor's parasailing adventures that sounded quite Navy-seal level.

We discussed global issues like our favorite ice cream flavors. He revealed more mythical episodes each with a palpable excitement. He looked to me for confirmation that I both understood and believed and I nodded approvingly. The imaginary tales continued as we searched for seashells and I carried him back to shore.

The two of us share unconditional love with each other. We also share trust. When he courageously pushed off from shore and headed out to sea, he knew that I would be there with outstretched arms to greet him. And when he reminded me that the water was over his head, he knew that he could hold on to me as long as he needed to have that support.

At times we all need human buoys and sometimes anchors to assist us in this journey. We trust each other to be there at those times. The cry for help may not always be as clear as : " I swim to you " but you will recognize it. Just put your hand out and say " I've got you".