Dive Into Your Imagination

This summer, Annie will give me the gift of breathing underwater for my very first time. Life will never be the same! I recently passed my 23rd birthday, however I have wanted to learn to SCUBA dive for as long as I can remember. My parents instilled into me a love and respect of the ocean habitat, and I took to it like a fish! I was fortunate enough to grow up in a household with a great backyard that piqued my imagination, full of perfect hiding spots, climbing trees, gardens – and a swimming pool! During the summer, my brother and I would spend hours frolicking in the water with a multitude of pool toys. We would stay in the pool until evening, and when it was time to get out, I would plead, “Just a little longer!” My Mom would call back from the pool edge, holding out a massive dry towel, “Rebecca! It’s getting cold! Your lips are purple!” But I didn’t care. I just shook my curly head and smiled, then dove back under the water.

When I was five years old, a wonderful thing happened to me. My parents took my brother and I to see the new Disney animation, “The Little Mermaid.” I remember driving to the movie theater, and my mom asked me from the front seat, “Rebecca, do you know what a mermaid is?” She went on to explain that a mermaid was an imaginary creature that was half-fish and half-human. What?! How is that possible? My mind started racing. During the introductory credits of the film, I watched as King Triton’s mermaid kingdom gracefully swam throughout the sea, among fish and dolphins. Dolphins! I became engrossed. When the film finished, Ariel was my hero. Not only did she have beautiful, long red hair, but she had animals as friends and was able to breathe underwater! How jealous I was!

I have always loved animals, mainly our family pets, but The Little Mermaid opened doors to a universe where animals live and breathe underwater. Since then, I have become fascinated with my favorite animal, the dolphin. Throughout my educational career, I have made every effort to get closer to these mysterious creatures. In elementary school I would read any book I could get my hands on that either had the word “Dolphin” on the cover, or had an image of the fascinating sea mammal. When I was older, I wrote poems and short stories, describing dream encounters with wild dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico waters. In high school, I followed a curriculum full of biology, chemistry, and math, so that I could get into a good college and compete with all the other students, like me, who wanted to work with dolphins. Now I have graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with degrees in Biology and Film Studies!

Taking SCUBA diving classes is the next experience on my list that will bring me closer to working with dolphins. I can’t wait to see what the underwater world looks like – from below the surface! I am so excited, nervous, anxious, impatient, thrilled… every emotion! And I can’t wait to share this experience with YOU! Because if Ariel can do it, I can do it. And if I can learn to breathe underwater, you can, too!