When I was a kid, I was very scared of the water. We would spend time in the summer camping near a New Hampshire lake and I was afraid to swim in it or to go out in a boat. I had no problem with swimming because I was comfortable in pools, but open water was a nightmare for me. I hated the idea that I couldn't see what was around me in that water.
One summer, my uncle came to the lake with two masks and one snorkel. I tentatively began exploring the swimming area. I could see! It wasn't so bad down there! No giant fish waiting to bite me, no mucky scariness on the bottom! Please, can I have a diving mask for Christmas?
My fears became dreams. I read every book about diving in the school library. I would daydream diving expeditions and plan fantastic explorations. That lake became the location of my childhood fantasies instead of my nightmares. In some ways, it's still in mind when I dive now.
Although I didn't have the time or the money to get certified until I was 32, I always had snorkeling gear around. I knew it was something I would do and I knew that I would love it.