Float

I just washed my hedgehog. That little dude gets into more trouble in his little plastic cage than you would think. Apparently he cut himself or skinned himself a tad somewhere because there's a bit of hardened skin under his neck. I thought it might be just some crud stuck to him, so I gave him a soak. He haaaaates it. I had to fill up the little tub quite a bit because it was so high up on his body. He got all tuckered out and curled up in a ball when I flipped him over to check out the "thing." I know it means they are uncomfortable or scared, but hooboy is it cute!

I feel emotional this week (the PMS as the Boy calls it). So here's some stream of consciousness:

So take that deep breath
take that first step
into that shimmering pond of insecurity.
Wading out to where it starts to get cool
creeping up your legs to send chills down your spine.

Gaze into the depth
just to try and grasp
the endless fathoms of the unknown.
As your legs give way to push off your solid ground
your head, your mind becomes enclosed in a sudden chill.

and for the briefest moment -
you feel panic
the tightening in your chest
of the potential for something to go very very wrong here.

But your eyes are closed

and your arms are outstretched

and you release that first breath

and you are fine.

Floating to the top of the doubt, the chill, the unknown.