Completely immersed in my work, I was surprised when my foot hit coral. I hadn't realized that I had drifted over to one of the reefs that surrounded our beach. I kicked away but without success. I wasn't wearing my flippers so I knew I had to get away from the coral because I didn't want to get cut. I kept trying but I couldn't get away and then I realized that not only was I in a current that kept me against the coral, I was also in a rip tide that was pulling me out to sea. I watched PJ at the shoreline get smaller and smaller. I figured I would just let it carry me out and away from the coral current and then I would be able to swim parallel to the shore, and out of the riptide. I called out to PJ to let her know I was in a rip tide. She sort of rolled her eyes at me and said she was coming out to get me. Though I didn't want her stuck too, I was relieved she was coming out to share my peril. She took the colander and my mask and snorkel so I could swim easier, but then she turned around and said, "Mom, I can't swim out of this either. I'm going to have to drop these." (the colander and snorkel/mask). I did a split second calculation: colander-$3.00, mask and snorkel can be replaced. "Drop them." She did and immediately made progress out of the current. Though I didn't get out as quickly, I followed her to shore.
I can't help but compare the current/rip tide peril to life situations. Sometimes we have to drop what we're doing immediately to save ourselves. Be it friends, situations, habits etc. Fill in the blank. And sometimes it's just the little things that keep us from getting back to shore. Drop 'em.
Though we never saw the mask and snorkel again, later that day I saw the green plastic colander bobbing at the peak where I assumed the riptide met the current against the coral. It was trapped for a short time...
before it sunk.
