Always Believe

The shallows are okay but awesome lies beyond the reef!

We’re planning a trip to Orlando next month. I’m getting excited for it. One day is planned at SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove, where you can spend time snorkeling or even swimming with dolphins!

That got me thinking about the first time I went snorkeling. I was in Hawaii on a trip with the marching band. In addition to visiting Pearl Harbor, we had a number of excursions planned, one of which was snorkeling. I could not wait for that day.

It’s a beautiful day. The sun is shining, a few clouds dot the blue sky. A slight breeze waves the palm trees, and the air is fresh with that clean, salt-water feel. After getting our gear, we sprint down the beach to the shore and wrestle into the fins, slide on the facemask, and bite into the snorkel. Never having used a snorkel before, my heart raced and my breathing went crazy as I stretched out and put my face into the water.

A few moments later, I calm down and regulate my breathing. Arms out in front of me, I glide through the water, laughing at the cute fish flitting back and forth. At the deepest point, I can easily stand with the water coming up to my knees.

One of the band directors gathers a group of students around him. “If we can get past the reef, there’s more to see!” I looked to where he was pointing. You could see the waves breaking on the reef, sending small ripples into the shore. Okay, I thought, let’s go.

The reef is made of rock and corals. As the waves crash on it, they exert a great force. Swimming over or climbing on the rocks, each wave pushed me back. I reach for a handhold as others are crawling over in different areas. Waves keep splashing into my snorkel, and I’m getting frustrated.

“Joe! You’re not going to make it. Why don’t you just go back?!” the band director yelled at me. I looked up and he, along with my friends, were past the reef and into the calmer sea. He turned and swam away.

I took that in for a moment. I was a strong swimmer. I knew what I was capable of. “Nuts to you,” I thought. I can do this. I look around for a different path.

I find a small path through the reef. I’m still pushed back by the waves, yet I find a rhythm. Move forward. Hold steady through the waves. Here’s a moment of calm. Move forward again. Brace myself for the next wave. Forward once again.

I’m past the reef! The waves calm down and break on the reef behind me. Beneath me, the bottom of the ocean drops an immediate 30, 50, or more feet. The water is crystal clear. Below me? Gorgeous, colorful fish! So much larger than the minnow-sized fish back in the shallows. I couldn’t name all the fish, but I was in awe of the beauty. Ever since then, I love the ocean and snorkeling and experiencing the alien environment found right here on Earth!

I learned something that day. Believe in yourself even if others don’t. Maybe the path you take is your own, rather than the way everyone else is going. It may be hard, challenging, or uncomfortable, but the reward afterward? Priceless.

When was a time someone didn’t believe in you? How did you react? Drop a comment below. I’d love to hear your story!