The Seahorse

Wiggling my toes in the coarse charcoal sand of Jemeluk Bay my chest was tight with anticipation and excitement. For years I had nerded out over all things underwater and yearned to get closer to marine life. My fascination eventually brought me to Bali to realize a long held dream: receiving my scuba certification.
I set my expectations high. I wanted to be the best student and an apt diver. I imagined seeing nothing but picture-perfect electric hued coral, massive swirling schools of fish and a turtle or two.
I wanted reality to be the same as the pictures I had created in my mind. After all, who knows when I would have this experience again?
After gearing up I followed my instructor to the shore to begin our descent. The leafy emerald backdrop of the bay and the distant outline of Mount Agung disappeared out of sight as my mask dipped below the water’s surface.
Everything changes once you are underwater.
The noise of the world above immediately came to a halt. The only sound was the rhythmic wheezing of my respirator. My mind ping ponged between focusing on properly executing my new skills and searching my surroundings for sea life.
There was nothing but vast blue emptiness and bare sand as far as I could see. My heart sank. Is this all there was?
My thoughts were broken by my instructor motioning me toward the seabed. My preoccupation with feelings of underwhelm nearly caused me to miss the beauty right in front of me.
As I approached the bottom, a small curvy figure came into view. It was a lone seahorse no more than three inches tall. My heart leapt with excitement. I marveled at its fragility. It seemed as if one slight swoop of a current would effortlessly sweep it away. I stayed with it for awhile, taking in its tightly coiled tail and the soft dusting of debris coating its body, acting as the perfect camouflage.
I pondered its existence. Did it know where it was headed or was it simply floating through life? I was in awe of the vulnerability of this tiny creature and wondered how it could survive in such an immense world all on its own. I was reminded of how much there is to uncover in life; everything has its own place and purpose.
Beauty can be found in simple unplanned moments and unexpected places. This singular experience forced me to stop and savor the present; to let go of self-made expectations.
Moments like these seem so fleeting. Tucking the memory into my heart, I parted ways with the seahorse, grateful for the gift it gave me.