Hidden Beauty

Step out and dive in. It’s as easy as that, isn’t it? All the steps that lead to this effortless

moment are not straightforward and must be performed correctly. I took a deep breath

reminiscing all the training I went through to get here as I worked up my courage to take

my leap of faith. Bobbing in the water, I watched all the others jump in one after another

like penguins in the arctic ocean.

The signal to go under is given and I feel chills surge through my body. It is my first time

scuba diving so I have the right to be nervous, right? One after another, heads began

disappearing into the waves. I deflated my vest and joined those who once disappeared

from the surface.

Descending into the depths of the water all I could see were the dull colored rocks

contrasting the deep blue sea. Trails of bubbles floated up to the sky as we

nonchalantly sink to the bottom of the ocean. With a series of hand motions the dive

instructor communicates it is time for us to begin our journey.

As we set off on our exploration, I felt relaxed but for some reason I was not enthralled

to be at the bottom of the sea. This was not what I expected diving to be like. There is

little to no fish around and a sandy floor, what is so exciting about this? My partner took

my hand and dragged me along the current to get closer to the seemingly bland rocks.

Those rocks lit up my whole world.

As I approached the deceptively bland, brown rocks you could see in the distance

suddenly my eyes filled with popping colors of the rainbow. Everywhere I looked there

were vibrant corals, fishes and other marine life you would never imagine forty feet

below the waves. Looking through every nook and cranny of the rocks I saw something

different in each one. Eels, octopi, turtles and so many other creatures were hidden

along with all the other mysteries these rocks contain. Every secret uncovered left me

wondering what I would find next. This whole new perspective of the world changed my

thinking forever.

Losing myself in the new world, I did not notice that it was time to head up to the boat

and my fellow divers began their ascent. I did not want to leave the bottom of the vast

sea but sadly, my stay at the seafloor was limited by my air supply. I joined my bubbles

and rose to the surface of the water. As my face breaks the surface of the water I

realized all at once. I was exhausted. I filled my vest up and bobbed in the water while

waiting for the boat. The boat turns off its engine as it nears and chops through the

waves. We all begin to climb the ladder one after another on to the boat while

performing a balancing act with our fins and gear as we clamber up. Sitting on the boat

with the hot breeze drying my hair, I realized that this trip was an unforgettable

experience. The thought that there is so much a whole different ecosystem has to offer

will be engraved into my mind forever. This trip made me realize to never judge what

something has to offer until I can see it in a bigger picture. Beneath those dark blue

waves, hidden beauty is sprawled out through life in its inhabitants.