Oooooohhhhh . . . here it goes

I am standing on the edge of the pool. I've been here a while, a lllooonnnggg while, just looking, dipping a toe in once in awhile, splashing a few tiny drops on my other foot, just trying it out. Right now, right this moment, I'm in that place that you just grab your nose, count to three, close your eyes, and jump in. Those split seconds in which you wonder if the water will be too cold, if you'll hit your head on the way in and drown, if you'll hit the bottom and scrape your knee, if you'll breathe in too soon and suffer from that awful sinus burn and pop up coughing and hacking with stuff hanging from your nose.

But then . . . you realize . . . people are watching, you realize people just WANT you to jump in. It may have been much easier for them and they can't for the life of them wonder what the heck you're so worried about. Or, they may have been just like you - afraid to do it. But they did. They've done it, they're in the pool, they're floatin' around and doin' handstands and other nifty water frolicking tricks . . . they love it and they know you will love it too if you just get over yourself and dive in.

Okay, so . . . (grabbing my nose) 1, 1 1/2, 2, 2 1/2, 3, big breath in . . .