Conquering the Deep End
A cold wind blew through her hair, leaving her shivering. But the task at hand left no room for distraction, because if she took her eyes off the rope, she might very well say goodbye to her life. Sarah’s entire focus was on steering her boat. The tantalizing beauty of nature that surrounded her was no match for her determination and focus.
Although just a lake, the Arameda Lake was one of the most treacherous waters to navigate in the entire content. As picturesque as it was, the dangers that lay in front of her were enough to keep her on edge. She grabbed the rope that would help her navigate the sails and held fast. Although there was no impending storm mentioned in the weather forecast she heard before she left land this morning, her instincts said otherwise.
She wasn’t formally trained in weather forecasting, and instinct was all she knew. Sailing with her grandfather had been the only respite from a life otherwise filled with immense hardship and turmoil. A mother who abandoned her and a father who died early, Sarah’s journey bouncing from home to home and finally to her grandparents’ had been quite harrowing.
Her grandfather was a traditional man who believed that a woman’s place was in the kitchen. How then, had this man, allowed her to accompany him on his boat? Sarah never wanted to know the answer, because all she cared about was spending time on her grandfather’s boat. It was a symbol of everything that was going right in her life. When she was on the boat, she was in control. For someone who had no control over her life, this was her center of gravity.
At 21, she decided to move out. Her grandparents had supported her for long enough. Her first job was working as a deckhand on a boat. Despite minimal pay and backbreaking work, she didn’t complain. Sailing was her future and she would do anything to make that dream come true. Despite facing rude questions, comments and judgmental smirks, she kept going to work each day.
Although her grandparents would rather see her settled, they accepted that this was Sarah’s choice in life. On her grandfather’s 80th birthday, both grandparents passed away in their sleep. There was nothing tying Sarah to this place, except the boat. Named “The Maiden”, she had accumulated enough skills to go out on her own adventures.
On the 1st anniversary of her grandparents’ death, she set sail around the most treacherous lake in those parts. Armed with supplies and ready to face anything, Sarah had never been excited for anything in her life before this. It was time to take the next step and conquer the lake that had drowned many.
As Sarah navigated her way into the lake, she closed her eyes for just a moment to feel the spritz of fresh water on her face and the promise of a great adventure in the air.
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