2008 Woodie Awards
Perspectives...
On Pride
Multiple Authors
Issue date: 4/25/07 Section: Entertainment
"Diving With the Sharks"
by Rebecca Welsch
There are few times in my life that I have found myself to be truly frightened. I'm not claiming to be incredibly brave or anything - I just don't sincerely fear many things. Because of this, when I do find myself terrified and then conquer the sensation, it is something I am proud of. Being scared of something and doing it anyway gives one a sense of pride that cannot be experienced in any other way. This past spring break I went to Roatan, Honduras to go scuba diving for the week. When I agreed to go on the trip, my friend had mentioned the option of going on a shark dive. It sounded like a great experience and I signed up for the dive with little thought about it. Then the day of the dive arrived. It was my first day as a certified diver and I found myself scared, almost panicking.
The longer I sat on the boat on the way to the dive site, the more anxious I became. I was convinced something was going to happen to me. I got goose bumps, which I blamed on the strong wind, and the scenarios in my head became more and more extreme (and completely unrealistic). Due to the strong current, all divers had to go down the seventy-five feet by rope. As I lowered myself, I looked down and could see the shadows of sharks circling below. There was no doubt in my mind that nothing good was going to come from this experience.
For several minutes all sixteen of us stood along a coral wall, in a state of mixed awe and fear as we watched over twenty reef sharks swim around us. Then we all swam with the sharks! I was cautious not to make any sudden movements because I was sure that a quick jerk of my arm would to lead to disaster. After ten minutes of swimming, we settled down by the coral wall again and the sharks were fed a small amount and became vicious! I became too afraid to even move a muscle.
After being with the sharks for a half hour or so, we returned to the surface. It took me several minutes to fully comprehend what I had just done. I had just swum with sharks! And not the sharks at Sea World or tiny nurse sharks. These were full grown reef sharks! Then a strong sense of pride came over me-not because I swam with sharks, but because I had been terrified and still managed to go on the dive. I had never been so afraid in my entire life, and I faced my fear head on. There are many things in my life that I am proud of, but none as much as diving with the sharks.
by Rebecca Welsch
There are few times in my life that I have found myself to be truly frightened. I'm not claiming to be incredibly brave or anything - I just don't sincerely fear many things. Because of this, when I do find myself terrified and then conquer the sensation, it is something I am proud of. Being scared of something and doing it anyway gives one a sense of pride that cannot be experienced in any other way. This past spring break I went to Roatan, Honduras to go scuba diving for the week. When I agreed to go on the trip, my friend had mentioned the option of going on a shark dive. It sounded like a great experience and I signed up for the dive with little thought about it. Then the day of the dive arrived. It was my first day as a certified diver and I found myself scared, almost panicking.
The longer I sat on the boat on the way to the dive site, the more anxious I became. I was convinced something was going to happen to me. I got goose bumps, which I blamed on the strong wind, and the scenarios in my head became more and more extreme (and completely unrealistic). Due to the strong current, all divers had to go down the seventy-five feet by rope. As I lowered myself, I looked down and could see the shadows of sharks circling below. There was no doubt in my mind that nothing good was going to come from this experience.
For several minutes all sixteen of us stood along a coral wall, in a state of mixed awe and fear as we watched over twenty reef sharks swim around us. Then we all swam with the sharks! I was cautious not to make any sudden movements because I was sure that a quick jerk of my arm would to lead to disaster. After ten minutes of swimming, we settled down by the coral wall again and the sharks were fed a small amount and became vicious! I became too afraid to even move a muscle.
After being with the sharks for a half hour or so, we returned to the surface. It took me several minutes to fully comprehend what I had just done. I had just swum with sharks! And not the sharks at Sea World or tiny nurse sharks. These were full grown reef sharks! Then a strong sense of pride came over me-not because I swam with sharks, but because I had been terrified and still managed to go on the dive. I had never been so afraid in my entire life, and I faced my fear head on. There are many things in my life that I am proud of, but none as much as diving with the sharks.
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