Pink Dolphins

by Joanne

Pink dolphins don't exist in real life. But I do, and I'll make sure I live my life happy for the pink dolphin that can't.

I remember, one summer when I was 7, I had a slight 'accident' while swimming. Being me, and stupid, I didn't know how to swim (or dive) yet so I watched my older cousins dive off and swim in the water. They had made it look so graceful and easy, I became very edgy and wanted to try so bad. Not heeding my mom's warning to stay away from the deep end, I jumped off head first.

That wasn't the best experience.

Dad rushed to save me and I only drank a little water so I hadn't have to be rushed to the ER. It was still very traumatic. After that, I became really afraid to enter the water without someone I knew that could swim and was older than me. My mom said it also changed my personality a little and I wasn't energetic as usual. I didn't notice but I got lots of complaints that I had changed during that period of time.

My cousin, Jake, decided this wasn't right and tried to straighten me out so I could get over that day. He (force) taught me to doggy-paddle, even if it was very scary for me, and made me learn to hold my breath under water without breathing it in through my nose. I learned most of my basic swimming techniques from his spartan training.

I hated him for making me do all these things I disliked and ignored him and called him 'meanie retard' (I don't recall ever calling him that but he said I did).

He tried to counsel with me on our little argument one day and brought up a small box with him. He managed to persuade himself inside my room and gave me the box.

Inside was a necklace with a pink, jeweled dolphin.

At first, I refused it and bluntly told him the pink dolphins don't exist and if he was getting me anything, it should have at least some realistic details to it. Jake didn't back down on that.

"So? Pink dolphins could exist if they try. Right now, you aren't giving one ounce of effort to survive."

I had been shocked then and retorted that I was breathing and my heart hasn't stopped so I must be living.

"You want to live like that, hiding?"

He told me that I couldn't stop doing something just because I failed once. He said I should at least try a second time. No one could do something without learning. I never learned and now he was trying to teach me and I was refusing.

I was hiding away like a trapped mouse scared of the cat. Sooner or later, I had to come out. If it were to be later, I might regret how much time I had lost being dumb and waiting in the dark.

I learned one of the most important life lessons from him and now he's the best cousin ever. I still swim and I recently beat my dad at the stroke. I keep the necklace in a the same box I received it in and wear it from time to time. Every time I see it, it reminds me of that traumatic day, the training I had from my 'evil' cousin, and the day I got over it.

So, to my awesome cousin, Jake, you rock at teaching doggy-paddle!!