Water
Under the surface
Goggles on, face down, and the sound of the world switched off.
Erik Strand
I learned to snorkel at forty-eight. In the Baltic, which is not where anyone goes to snorkel. It is green and cold and the fish are shy.
But under the surface the world goes quiet. The light comes down in moving lines. I float and look at the stones and forget I have a body.
Getting out
The first breath of air sounds very loud. Gulls, children, a radio somewhere. I always want to go back under for one more minute.
