One Step At A Time

All it took was one push. One push to convince me that life was meant to be explored – not feared. One of the most vivid memories growing up happened 8 years ago at a clubhouse in one of the most visited tourist spots in the Philippines - Palawan. I had gone to other resorts but this trip was distinctly memorable as it changed the way I traveled since then. I was sitting by poolside watching my family paddle their way through the chlorine-filled water. I used to hear the water was a scary place to be in, that it sucks you in and eats you up. For a time I believed it and that was when my fear of swimming began. So I just sat there as I always would, dipping my feet into the ice cold water, staring down upon my glistening reflection until I felt a shove from behind – a force that left me plunging into the 10-foot depths of the kidney shaped-pool. Quickly, I felt water rushing into my nostrils, chlorine stinging my eyes and the sudden rush of adrenaline racing through my back. I was in sheer panic but I knew I had to do something quick, I started to move my limbs and legs simultaneously in hopes of keeping my head afloat – and that was the day I learned how to swim. I swam to the edge to seek refuge, realizing I had learned a new life skill and despite swallowing a considerable amount of water, I thought it was fun. I later found out it was my brother who had done the deed, with his hair damp and his smile close to a grin. I then started making the most of the trip by doing things my former hydrophobic-self would’ve never done such exploring the corals below and basically practicing how to swim. There was a particular rock where I’d always go back to and sit on till the sun goes down. It was over 20 ft from the shore and covered in starfish and seaweed. It had a pretty smooth surface which made it easy for me to lie on. It provided a spectacular view and each sunset had a different burst of color. On Mondays, the skies would be filled with hues of pink, Tuesdays were orange, Wednesdays surprisingly violet and Thursdays were golden - as if a waterfall of gold fell into the sea straight from sun. Beaches are common in the country but Palawan was different, as if its sunbeams had a unique effect – one that would shed a different light on your perspective to see things as valuable as they were, as if they were golden. There were colors I’d never seen, feelings I’d never felt, sights I’d never explored but I got the chance to do so and all it took was one push.