Postcards from Paradise: Under the Sea
I love the mysterious, flower-like and undulating nature of sea anenomes. I'm also a big fan of starfish and colorful fishes (though I draw the line at blue sharks). (This heart-shaped one is especially dear.) But because of a swimming trauma when I was in kindergarten that indelibly imprinted the panic of near-drowning into my psyche, I'll never be diving below the water's surface to see them. Once, however, with a bit of encouragement from the man I loved, I overpowered my fear and went snorkeling off St. John in the Virgin Islands. I saw some fish and stuff, but never managed to relax while my face was underwater. Mostly, I was just relieved that I'd survived it and very proud of myself for doing something so very challenging for me. Oh -- and did I mention that I checked "Snorkeling" off my bucket list and vowed never to do it again? (As you might have guessed, getting dive-certified isn't on my list.) In other words, I'm a sh...