Riverbank
A childhood memory
The family is swimming in the riverbank created by the town’s water pump building. Uncles, aunts, cousins, Dad, Mom, brother and sister. Laughter and conversation with the mild roar of the river as the background. Floating on the giant tire tube makes me feel… privileged. It was finally my turn to use it and I was going to enjoy every second of it by navigating around the bank. “Don’t go out to the river. Careful!” I keep hearing my dad’s warning. And I am careful, making sure not to get close to the current and stay within the calm water. He wanted me to stay near the shore, but my cousins kept wanting to knock me over. On one of my returns from the deep side of the river, someone did just that. It was fun, and I was already planning on returning the favor as soon as it was someone else’s turn. While under the water, I got the idea to scare them by not coming up to the surface right away. I swam down and towards the deep end near the water pump building. The building had some bricks that stuck out and one could hold to them. I’d done it before. I reached the building and began swimming up, but I wasn’t making progress. Alarm bulldozed itself throughout my body. I pulled and pulled the water as hard as I could. It wasn’t working. I changed direction and tried swimming towards the family, the water was hazy but I could see legs kicking. There was nothing on my mind other than keep trying. “Keep trying or you’ll be in trouble with Dad.” I thought. Once completely tired and needing air, gradually, I realized I wasn’t going to make it. The alarm melted and in its place I began to feel peace. I was just… letting go. I remember being mesmerized by the dancing high afternoon sun through hazy waves. Then something like a large pulse propelled me towards the surface, and my sense of wanting to breathe came back. I could see the surface coming towards me and felt elated! I’ll never forget how the fresh air felt in my face as I broke through the water. It was precious, lovely, beautiful, wonderous even, and I filled my lungs with it. I swam to the shore and was about a dozen meters from the family. I could still hear the laughter and conversation, but it now existed in the most exquisite tapestry I hadn’t noticed before.
Chijuas' World 