Out on the water

Wind chilled wet hands
steady the paddle against the wind,
rhythmically slicing it into the choppy waters.
The swell pushes me forward clumsily,
as the spray leaps into my face.
I am exhilarated, nervous, excited.

The everyday produces a hard shell.
Too many interactions with lifeless people.
But here out on the water,
I am freed.
I shout it to the trees,
to the heron in flight above me,
to the sandy shoreline.

I can still feel.
My fears are put aside for one more day.