Body and Soul of Water

Walking onto the short pier, feeling the sun-warmed wood on bare feet, my soul already
begins to relax

As it remembers what always happens at the end of a pier.

My soul’s toes curl around the ends of the planks, its eyes longing, looking down at my
reflection in the water

But really it wants to see what’s at the bottom, if I look hard enough I will see the rocks,
the ledge and suddenly the dark blue where a cave feeds me this water that
still sooths the heart after all these years and years and years.

The water that floods my body, my soul, my mind with love, passion, peace and joy

The joy and love overflow into tears

At the pier’s edge, where nothing exists beyond,

except the promise of peace and renewal

I dive.

There is no jumping,

there is no gradual stepping down a ladder,

there is no fancy back flip.

There is only diving.

When my feet spring up, leave the warm wood, and my lungs fill with air, everything slows
down as I feel every drop of water caress my body as though we are long lost lovers.

I’m aware the water has reached my fingertips and is now reaching down my outstretched arms,

but the real reunion only begins as I feel the crystal clear spring envelope itself around my face and my neck.  Hugging me as I surrender to its whispered promises.

My ears triumph at the dive’s ending splash, knowing that we are now one with the
spirit cleansing coolness of this place.

Everything about me feels different alive new and perfect.

My body is not yet screaming for air, so I move my arms like a graceful mermaid, seeing
the world through water-colored glasses. 

Always marveling at how the cold water brings me completely alive and completely at
peace again.

Every problem, every hurt, every sorrow goes away for however long my lungs can give me air
for that first dive. 

As I swim and roll like a dolphin in the loving beautiful selfless water

I feel a passion that can only be felt in the absence of air.

And so it goes with every walk on a pier

It may not be a dive into my beloved Indian Springs...

just don’t tell my soul that.