lake girl

As previously mentioned I am something of a water person. I live for summer and immersing myself in all things aquatic. Growing up in the steel city, I was surrounded by 3 dirty rivers so our only real swimming hole was the public pool. Don't get me wrong, our public pool was the size of a football field with three diving boards and skyscraper height slides. Every summer my mother would laboriously sew on the shiny numbered metal tags that we would flash upon entry. Proudly holding up our bathing suit straps with our crooked passes we would troop in toting our bags, floats, towels, and blankets to find our perfect spot on the concrete. Snack time brought out the baggies filled with whatever was in the cabinet, eating under towels so as not to alert surly teenage lifeguards of our "illegal" behavior. I used to love lying under the hot sun with my Nancy Drew and listen to my mother gossip with the other neighborhood moms. My mother could never swim preferring instead to "backstroke" while holding her head above the 3 feet of water so as not to wet her hair. She would watch my sister and I jump off diving boards while furiously chewing her nails. Ahh, youth, full days spent lounging in the warm weather. Who am I kidding? I still do that now. Now I get to take mine. Lately though I've been feeling a pull towards our lovely Lake Erie. I don't know if it's because too many desserts are making me feel less than worthy of that bikini or if its just the fact that I can let my little one run free. No surly lifeguards at this beach, just driftwood, dead fish, and sand. Yeah, yeah, dead fish, I know, but you get used to it. Lying on my back, staring at the trees and cliffs, listening to the water, I almost feel like I'm on an exotic vacation in, well, Maine. The water can be THAT cold. The waves can be THAT rough. My mother-in-law constantly worries about rip tides and chemical overflows and cringes everytime I take her precious grandson to my beloved lake. Honestly, I feel the cold water is healing to mind and body. Who knows, maybe I'll end up with some crazy disease, but to me the lake is sacred. I can go and let Sully wander, pick up beach glass, gather rocks, and when he's ready, run into the water holding tightly to his little paw. There are also days where the water is warm and smooth as glass. That's when I can float away on a raft and just be. That's also when you can see the bottom, best left undiscovered for now. For now I will plant my feet on the mossy rock and dive into the wave because this lake girl is home. Goodnight world.