Waaay out of my comfort zone!

Yesterday, my creativity group got together for its monthly meeting.  It's a group of women of vastly different experiences and interests who get together once a month (if we can -- it's quite casual) to do something loosely called creative (see?  it's very casual).  We make things sometimes (last month we made summer hats) or we go somewhere (we usually make a trek to the Fringe Festival in September and the Directors' Festival out in Chilliwack in the spring -- one of our members teaches theatre at the University College of the Fraser Valley -- I think that's the name).  This month, Jan decided we should do something outside (what a great idea -- doesn't someone always nag all of you to get outside?) so we had a potluck picnic at Rocky Point Park and then we went kayaking!  As you might know, I am not a sporty type AT ALL, and can't swim very well, so I was rather nervous about it, picturing myself rolling the kayak (I think that's what you call it) and drowning.  Or at least, losing my glasses to the sea.

So I said, "well, I'll go, but maybe I won't go out on the water".  Jan made it clear that she wasn't going to be upset if anyone chickened out.  But Anthony gave me that quizzical look and said, "if you don't try it, you'll never know . . ."  (Maybe he heard that from someone along the way?)  So that shamed me into considering it.

At the park, my compatriots assured me that they were good swimmers and could save me if I fell in.  (Although Jan said if I started to panic, she might have to knock me out before my rescue!)  Jan's kayak is a lake kayak, so it isn't as tippy as a sea kayak, so I felt a bit less fearful then.

We had a great lunch and fully stuffed ourselves (great before a physical effort!) and then went out to get our feet wet!  Jan was a very patient and careful teacher and before I knew it, my lower body was soaked and I was out in the inlet whooshing along!  It was terrific.  We got up close and personal with the osprey nest out in the middle of the water (I was so happy to see them back -- I was worried that they hadn't made it this year -- you know all birds are struggling with habitat loss and climate change and birds that migrate are especially at risk) and we saw a group of crazy haired mergansers paddling along (when they saw us, they hightailed it away at breakneck speed) and looked back at beautiful Port Moody and all its lovely trees which mask our little houses up here on the hill.

Sadly then, we had to get back and pack up our paraphernalia and head home.  But I was very grateful to Jan for having organized it and to Anthony for having shamed me into swallowing my fears and taking the plunge!

And the moral of the story is:  Don't let fear rule you!