Standing at the shallow end of the pool, I shout to my brother, “Ready, set, go!” I inhale deeply, broadening my shoulders and puffing out my chest. Then, I fall into the tranquil waters. They enfold me.

1, 2, 3, 4… I count, cradling myself beneath the man-made ripples. …5, 6, 7… I could stay here forever, floating amongst the bubbles, …8, 9, 10… but bubbles rise, driven by dreams of independence and sky. …11, 12, 13… Instinct rebukes complacency, but love questions separation. …14, 15, 16… Pressure builds within my head. My lungs quiver. …17, 18, 19… My eyes sting. My nose burns. The sky persuades. I listen. …20, 21, 22. I rise. I stand. The waters release me from their embrace.

We splash, and we laugh. We cry, and we fight. We play, and we love. We love, and we play. But sooner than I could have imagined, I must leave. I dry off and kiss the waters a bittersweet goodbye. If only I could have held my breath a little longer.