Anxious About Open Water

Have you ever taken a trip to the ocean; dreamed of getting back in touch with your soul through the pull of the waves, smell of salty air, and the call of seagulls overhead? You arrived, shook open your over-sized towel, let it fall flat to the sand, then perched your umbrella nearby for shade. Kicking off your sandals, you let your toes sink into the warm sand while closing your eyes and taking a deep breath of fresh ocean air. All your senses converge. Life is good.

Then you take a stroll to the water's edge, enjoy the contrast of warm sand and cool water. Little sea critters squirrel down into the sand almost before you can catch a glimpse of them. Life surrounds you. It stretches out in front of you, deep within the ocean's depths. You feel energized. You wade out into the water; the weight of it slows your progress, while beckoning you forward. The water is cold--an instant cure for the heat of the Sun. Just a little further, and you'll be immersed in its perfection, wrapped up in it's cool comfort.

Anxious About Open Water
Acrylic over earthenware, mixed beads

Finally, there you are. Surrounded by liquid nature. Every pore of your skin feels its wetness, its coolness. But then your skin feels something else. What was that? It just brushed by you for an instant, but it was definitely something.

Suddenly, you're feeling Anxious About Open Water.