Happy PADI Women Dive Day!
Padi Women Dive Day
A Live Life Lesson
July 20th is PADI WOMEN DIVE DAY!
Today, there are women all around the globe, gearing up to dive into the ocean for the first time. Some will have trained hard for this exciting moment.
I remember that moment when I went out into the ocean for the first time during my scuba diving certification process. I didn’t enter the water from a boat launch, the way it’s typically done.
Instead, I started from a park where I donned my scuba gear...all 25 pounds of it. Then added 30 more pounds when they placed the air tank on my back.
“Dear God! Can I walk with all this weight?” I thought to myself.
Grabbing my fins, I steadily walked across the road to the beach where the rest of my group was waiting. I kept thinking what a smart decision it was to join a gym and prepare for this.
My eyes scanned across the long sandy beach leading up to the waves crashing down on the shore.
“That’s where we are going to enter the water?”, I anxiously thought to myself.
I tried to imagine how I was going to accomplish it. But I couldn’t try to figure it out at that moment. First, I had to get there with all this weight. So, I looked down at my feet to see where to step in the sand, then looked straight ahead at the waves. I concentrated on staying steady with each step in the sand. To motivate me, I imagined myself carrying a loved one on my back to safety. Believing that I could do it made my efforts seem less strained.
We reached the shore and pushed our way through the waves until the water reached my hips. With the help of a guide, I leaned into the water and slipped on my fins. It was a real challenge trying to balance. But I succeeded and then proceeded to swim on my back towards the flag where my instructor waited. It seemed like a mile away.
The swim took a lot of effort as I swam against the currents trying to stay on a course that I hoped would end up near the flag. I stared up into the deep blue sky, pondering how hard and tiring this whole ordeal was. I hadn’t even reached the part I expected to be the hardest: going underwater. I continued to push myself physically and mentally until I finally reached our group.
Happy to catch my breath and rest while waiting for further instructions, I read my instructor’s lips and listened for my guides interpretation. I wasn’t wearing my hearing aids, and I was as good as deaf. But it didn’t stop me from pursuing this dream.
My guide signaled to get ready for the next set of challenges.
It was time to go under.
I wasn’t thinking about a beautiful experience or even looking for beautiful treasures under the sea.
All I could think about was, “Do I remember everything I learned in class?”
How to breath correctly through my regulator, equalizing, remembering to check how much air I had, safety checks, - the list ran on. I wanted to make sure I did everything right. I put on my regulator then went underwater and took my first breath.
“Not so bad,” I thought as my confidence built.
I remembered to equalize my ears as we continued to descend.
Instantly, I became relaxed and comfortable, building my confidence with each breath. With guides all around, my anxiety left immediately. I transitioned quickly into a calm state and began to enjoy the moment. It was unlike anything I’ve ever experience.
I knew then; I was in love with scuba diving.
One month later, I traveled to Hawaii on a family vacation to scuba dive for the first time after getting certified.
It was a completely different experience.
I didn’t have to struggle across a sandy beach hauling extra weight, expending all my energy just to get to the dive spot. This time I got to sit in a boat, relax, and anticipate an exciting adventure. Confidently I dove into the ocean.
I fully emerged in the experience of exploring my surroundings. It was a treasure chest full of beautiful things to see. I followed my guide, and everything intrigued me. I became enamored with a tiny fish flipping over rocks five times its size and finding food underneath it. Then on to another rock, he went. My guide kept pointing out new things for me to see, and I eagerly swam to him. Everything about the ocean’s complex ecosystem was beautiful. The coral, the fish, the life was so vibrant. I felt so happy to be there.
I really began to appreciate our planet then.
I’ve learned so much about the beautiful ocean and myself since taking up scuba diving. It makes me think about the struggles I’ve been through to survive traumas. I learned that no matter how daunting the future may look, as long as I take one step at a time, I can conquer each challenge on my path. Just like the ocean, there are treasures to discover along the way in life, treasures that enhance our lives like courage, self-confidence, and empathy. My first scuba dive in Hawaii was a gratifying experience, and I could never have done it if I hadn’t said yes to that first small, courageous step into the sand that day in San Diego.
What new thing or activity would you like to try for the first time? What treasures would you like to discover on your path? Try it and be prepared to be amazed!
