a night swim

There she was.. floating where the water met sky, staring up at the stars. She held as still as she could, listening to the water and feeling it lap around her body on her skin. It feels like home. She pulls her feet down under herself and ducks her head under the water, her arms stretching out in front of her as if reaching to push aside a curtain. She kicks her legs and dives down deeper, water rushing past her limbs as her feet flutter behind her. Then up again to the surface where she draws in another breath and water rolls off her head and down her neck.

She remembers wishing, as a child, that she were a mermaid. Wanting to live in the water, never having to leave. Never having to feel her ears flood or see her fingers and toes wrinkle. No longer having to come up for air. Weightless and graceful she glides through the lake, her limbs carrying her faster, the coolness washing away the stress of her day. Up her head pops for a quick breath and then down she goes again, drawing nearer to the shore. She begins to feel the plants growing up from the sandy bottom brush against her legs, like thousands of tiny gentle fingers tickling her. Like the touch of her children's hands. Her head rises once more out of the water and she spins around, stretching out on her back again. She gazes up to the full moon and thanks God for the water. Closing her eyes her arm extends above her head and scoops behind her, paddling her closer to land.. Home? This feels more like home to me..

Opening her eyes she stands in the water, close to the shore now, barely deep enough to swim. She pauses, sweeps her hands through the dark water, not wanting to leave. Then, slowly, she walks to the water's edge, enjoying the water swirling around her legs and body. She softly steps onto the sand and finds her towel in the dark, warm from the summer night. Wrapping it around her, she turns back once more and stares out at the still waters.. it's as if she was never there. Perfect.

Good night, my friend... Good night.