The Lake Feels Nothing Like the Ocean
and is ruled by the sun
Saturday, August 8th - 4pm
I am weightless. I am an amoeba, drifting away.
(*Googles definition of amoeba just to be sure* okay yes that means what I think it means)
In reality, I am a girl, floating in Table Rock Lake.
The captain requires all of us to wear life jackets, so I’m able to exist effortlessly in the water. I paddle and twist and turn, not because it’s necessary for survival but because it’s fun.
I swim away from the group for just a few moments; my hopelessly romantic heart needs a chance to observe, to lock in the memory.
The lake feels nothing like the ocean.
The ocean is unforgiving, yet full of wonder. You hope to see a cute fish. The air is fresh - salt, linen, bitter orange. The sand seeps between your toes. It feels like inspiration and discovery mixed with renewed motivation.
The lake is much more humble. The water is opaque, which is probably for the best. The air smells of mud and algae and sweet bread. You see trees, rocks, houses, soaring children on inner tubes, and (in our case) a giant slide attached to a boat. It feels like hope and nostalgia mixed with unfiltered thoughts.
Where the ocean is ruled by the moon, the lake is ruled by the sun.
If you want serenity, you must grab it in the early morning when the light is soft. As the rays strengthen, so does the chaos.
It’s a beautiful chaos, though. Voices turn to shouts as everyone talks over the laughter. Nothing happens on time, but everything seems to work out. Stress and worry drift away and sink beneath the surface.
I am back on the boat, wrestling with the lid on the snack tray. A salty skewer of olive, cheese, and pickle waits for me.
Of all the amazing meals I have eaten, I’ll proudly throw boat snacks in the ring with the best of them. The type of snack is largely irrelevant (although I do have preferences), it’s the context of the snack that makes it elite. The August sun, the music we haven’t stopped listening to since 2016, friends I’ve had since then as well, and the freedom of the water. It transports me to another dimension.
I finally fish out the snack skewer. I had forgotten about my hunger until this very moment.
Three bites later, I’m reaching for another.