Way, Way Out of My Comfort Zone

This past week I have found myself thrust into a series of uncomfortable moments. It all started with my hubby’s birthday. 28. Crazy. I always think we are closer to 20 than 30. But time just keeps marching on. However, that is all beside the point.

Last Sunday I felt anxiety, trepidation, and hesitation as I handed Cory his birthday present. I had searched and searched to find something else that I thought he would love… but to no avail. I knew what he really wanted. And giving sometimes hurts a little.  

Ever since before we were married, Cory has always wanted to get scuba certified together. You need to understand, I am no great adventurer. I am the kind of girl who gets a little freaked out in water. I go swimming in the ocean, yes. I don’t even mind being a little tumbled by the waves every now and then. But you put me farther out than the shore, and I get a little panicky. And to top it all off… fish freak me out. I don’t even particularly care for snorkeling because of all the crazy creatures down there.

So that is where I am at. And then… we decided to plan our trip to the Caribbean. Cory discovered that where we are going has some of the best scuba diving. I was like… oh no. And then he researched it more and discovered how warm the water was, how far the clarity was, and how perfectly amazing it was. Yes, I was in trouble.

And so, after a lot of struggling within myself I bit the bullet, did the research, and signed us up for our Scuba certification. And I thought that rock climbing was out of my comfort zone… no I could be totally at home hanging from a sixty foot rock compared to how I felt this week in that twelve feet of water.

Long story short. I am doing it. I am conquering all of my strange irrational fears. I am discovering the importance of taking control of my thoughts. It is awkward. It is uncomfortable. Part of it is terrifying. But on the other hand…we haven’t even been in the ocean yet and you should see how happy this is making Cory.

Sometimes you just have to get out of yourself and do something totally crazy. It is amazing how little things can bring you closer together. Cory and I are close. We are married! But when we traveled and saw so much of the world together, I felt bonded in a whole new way. We were sharing amazing experiences that became part of our own personal history. And I can already tell that it will be the same with this whole scuba experience. We are doing something together. We are learning and experiencing. It is drawing us close like it would a couple of kids who are dating.

And so I think I have grown a lot this last week. For all of the things you strive to undertake, great or small, it is important to learn what you can from any given experience. It is helping me to think things through and process everything. And I think the outcome will be a very happy husband, and perhaps even an amazing experience.

Who knows, Maybe I will love it.