Shamelessly,
I stripped down to
my birthday suit,
ready to take the leap
into the murky and
unknown waters of
the lake.
My steps were hesitant
as I squished through mud
and yelped at every piece
of seaweed that caressed my
bare legs.

The Mt. Olympus Percussion Ensemble
didn’t make their appearance.
The clouds rolled away,
lazily,
and the stars blinked on,
one by one.
I floated with the waves,
staring up in awe.

Somehow, even without you there,
we had come full circle.
Planes zoomed on by,
leaving a trail of stardust behind
them.
The water clenched tightly
to every fiber of my body,
cradling me like
the arms of a mother.

It was about time
I felt alive again.