A New Love In My Life!

Once upon a time I visited the Red Sea.  On this day I fell head over heels in love.  It was an all-consuming love, the kind that you will never forget and don’t want to ever let go.  It is the kind of feeling people chase their entire lives and often don’t have the pleasure of finding.  Me, I am lucky though because I found it, I lived it, and I will forever remember it.

I had been begging to go swimming in the sea since last summer when we visited Aqaba so my husband decided that we would go today.  We packed up the family, got in the cars, and headed to the beach.  When we arrived we were at the beach, but it wasn’t the beach.  It was a resort set on the beach with three swimming pools.  Swimming pools on the beach!  What?!  That was not part of my plan, so I broke away from the group with just my husband and three children and headed down to the actual beach. 

I had come prepared, or so I thought, and was determined to get in the sea and swim around.  I plunged into the water with complete disregard to my surroundings.  Went out to waist level and then looked down at the ground and discovered a whole new world at my feet.  I couldn’t believe it, there were about 20 brightly colored fish right there, I was practically stepping on them.  I am sure I stepped on some reef life on the way out here without even knowing it.  I got so excited I started waving and yelling frantically at my husband on the shore.  “You have to come out here and see this, it’s amazing!”  “Omg, look at that fish, it’s so cool.”  I ran back to the shore line and grabbed my daughter determined to share this awesome sight with someone.  We waded back out and I started to show her fish.  She wasn’t interested, not at my level. 

At this point I learned you can rent snorkel equipment.  So naturally I had to have the snorkel equipment.  My dutiful husband wandered up to the rental counter and purchased me a snorkel and mask.  Then the real kicker, offered to take the kids back to the pool and leave me all to my lonesome to explore the sea.  I seriously was so overjoyed at this moment in time. 

The excitement I felt above the water was nothing compared to that first moment I dipped my face underwater and spied the aquatic fantasy world that awaited me.  I was in complete and utter awe.  I began to swim around in crazy circles looking everywhere trying to take it all in at once.  I discovered every few feet was a whole new world.  There were so many colors and shapes.  Life was everywhere.  I would see fish that had a funny face and laugh out loud through the snorkel tube.  I got a little too excited a few times and ducked too far under only to suck down a heaping mouthful of salt water.  I reluctantly resurfaced choking and gasping for breath, to drain the tube and clear my goggles.

 

I spent an entire day swimming only about 20 feet off the shore.  Everywhere I turned was some super fantastic sight that I was sure had never been seen before.  With my head stuck under the water I couldn’t hear or be distracted by the world above.  I had entered a place of sheer peace and happiness. 

Even though my mouth was dry and the salt was slowly dissolving my skin, I couldn’t bear to part with this wonder I had found.  It was too magnificent.  I knew once I left the sea that day I wouldn’t make it back again this trip and so I selfishly swam until the sun was setting and I was developing sores from my bathing suit rubbing salt into my skin. 

As I wandered back to the pools, I did so with a grin that could not be disguised and heart so filled with happiness.  I knew in that moment I would forever love the Red Sea and I would never forget this special gift she gave me. 

I didn’t know it that day, but my wildest dreams were about to come true.  A few days later we actually went scuba diving in the sea!  I know I will never have enough of this special underwater world and I look forward to next summer when I will be reunited with my love, the Red Sea.  

A few pictures from my diving experience!