Headed for town, but before I took off on my bike, I packed a towel. Just in case. After recording a pod and having lunch with and at Caspian’s I decided: Yes. Today is the day for the first dip in the sea of the year.
So I rode to the pier farthest from town, the one designated for skinny dipping. Parked my bike, took a picture and started to undress. Gloves, beanie, winter coat. Shoes, jeans, long johns, woolen socks. Woolen sweater, long tee, and my woolen undershirt. Off it goes. All of it.
As I pull my sweater over my head, a door to a somewhat surreal universe cracks open.
Grabbed my towel and headed out to the pier.
Sunny, windy, 5 degrees tops. Probably the same temperature in the water.
Tie my towel to the pier to stop it from blowing away.
Waves.
Slippery staircase, hold on tight.
And in I go.
Hesitate… and I would never do it.
So I just take one step after the other, until I am up to my neck in the ocean.
Cold. Yes. Shockingly cold.
Fully manifest in that other universe. The am-I-really-doing-this-and-can-this-really-be-happening-universe.
Hyperventilate while two waves crash into me, then get out. One step after the other, until I am up on the pier again.
In the other universe, I get out, cold and wet… and all of a sudden, my skin starts tingling. The chill vanishes, the wind disappears, time seems to stop, and I am totally present to the beauty of it all.
The ocean.
The sun.
The wind.
The vastness.
And last, but not least, to myself. For doing it.
Living. Fully!
Grab my towel and rub off, while taking my time walking to the bike and my clothes.
Slowly emerging from the alternate universe, I dress, happy, pleased, not feeling any cold whatsoever.
My soul sings!
I did it.
First dip in the ocean this year, and I know this dip will be followed by many others.
Who would have known that taking a (cold) dip in the sea would let me travel to another universe?
Who would have known a dip in the sea would fill me with this most wondrous feeling?
How will you know, if you would experience something like it unless you give it a shot?