I walk on the beach almost every day. I love the way the sand feels on my feet. If I’m feeling adventurous, I’ll dip my toes in the water for a moment. Most days, I back away immediately. The water is too cold for my Arizona blood.
But yesterday was different. “Today is the day,” I thought. I went for a 1-mile jog to get out of my home office during my lunch break. I ran to the pier to check out the view I’ve seen many times now: the buildings of the Loop to the south. The water was usually calm. Just one day earlier, it had been choppy and the wind was stronger. I tested the water. Not frigid. I went in to my knees. I thought, I’ve gone this far, let me keep going. It took a lot longer to get used to the water when it was up to my waist. It was now or never. So I dove in. I wished I could swim farther out to where I couldn’t reach the bottom, but, alas, the lifeguards won’t allow it.
I studied the people on the beach until I saw a familiar figure. Graham was home from work and looking for me. He almost couldn’t believe his eyes; was I really in the water? And so, a little while later, we went for our first swim together in Lake Michigan.
It wasn’t too long. But on the walk home, I said, “I love it here.” Graham smiled. “You do?” I really do.
