Why I'm keytofreedom

[keytofreedom]

Hello, new friends. I just joined your ranks this morning and already love this site. I don't know alot about computers or diving (finally certified this past weekend) but I've spent the last three days searching the internet for trips, dreaming big. I wanted to explain my ID to you. I was trying to convince my daughter to learn to scuba, getting all the usual excuses about clostrophobia, ears, etc and I began to tell her about all the years, during my love affair with the sea, of floating above wondering all the while of what lay beneath me. Now, I told her, I feel as if I've been given the keys to the space shuttle (except for the obvious change of direction). And, since keytothespaceshuttle is a little long, thus keytofreedom, which is equally appropriate. I am at mid-life, my husband doesn't want to dive and this is something I am doing just for me. I would love to hear your feedback and look forward to fifty years of diving and meeting many of you.

 

[FLArmyBrat]

It is a wonderful name!!! I am 2 weeks from my open water dives (3 confine dives before that!) and I already feel like I've been allowed to rent the keys!

SCUBA has always been what I called one of my "skinny dreams". I had always been a big girl and never even thought about going diving. Snorkeling was as close as I got. I have lost 215 pounds and met a guy who wanted to dive as much as I do, so here we go!!! We get certified in 2 weeks and already have a trip to the Keys planned in October with expectations of many MANY more!!!

Welcome to the board from another newbie!!!

I look forward to speaking with you more.

Laurel
One step closer!!!

 

[keytofreedom]

You have accomplished far more than I. You must feel as if you've been given the keys to a whole new life. I hope you and your guy have many more diving, and otherwise, adventures ahead of you.

Thanks for being the first to welcome me to my first-ever forum experience of any kind! I hope, without knowing what I'm doing, this reply gets to you.

Best,

 

[canuckdiver]

welcome aboard peg!

and congrats! It seems to be a rare thing in this world for people to shake off the bonds of the mundane and persue their dreams!

LIVE life, don't WATCH it!

 

[LittleFrog]

I know how powerful those extra pounds can be, Laurel. It's a painful thing to be held prisoner in your own body. I, too, had those "skinny" dreams until I hit my 30's and decided to engage myself in life and actually do the things I had always dreamed about...things that "weren't meant for fat girls". I didn't want to look back over my life when I was 80 years old and regret NOT doing _______. I started dance classes, started hiking and biking...I even went skydiving. This past summer I drove a race car and FINALLY learned to dive.

Thankfully, I also shed about 100lbs. Although I'm still not quite at my ideal body weight, I've also shed the concept of "skinny" dreams. Talk about freedom!

Here's to all of you who've had the courage to follow your bliss



~LittleFrog

 

[keytofreedom]

I wish I had begun to "engage in life" in my thirties, instead of waiting until my late forties. I love talking to teenaged girls about what I would do differently if I had it to do all over again. I would have spent less time worrying about whether I was too fat or too ugly and way less time worrying about guys. In fact, I think that's all I thought about, and judging from my conversations with these girls, it's a pretty common problem, although I believe it's less of one than with my generation. I molded myself to be whatever my boyfriend/husband wanted me to be and now, I really don't care what anyone thinks of me or wants me to be. I'm going to do what I love, even if I have to do it by myself. If you haven't read Dee's thread under "Women's Views" entitled "Andy Rooney - Older Women", do so. It's pretty good.

I admire you for what you're doing (especially the skydiving...I've been thinking alot lately about trying it. What was it like?)

Teach younger girls under your influence that their self-worth should have no relation to a man or anything else other than realizing their goals/dreams.

 

[LittleFrog]

keytofreedom once bubbled...
.
I admire you for what you're doing (especially the skydiving...I've been thinking alot lately about trying it. What was it like?)

Pure exhileration! The freefall is an amazing experience...not really a feeling of falling but rather floating. The only sense I had that I was actually falling was the rush of air all around me. Like other great things in life, though...it didn't last long enough

~LittleFrog