A Journey Of Deep Healing

Summary

A woman overcomes her lifelong fear of water, inspired by the beauty of Fiji's oceans, by gradually engaging with water activities, from swimming in a pool to paddle boarding in the sea.

Abstract

The article narrates the journey of a woman, referred to as "B," who confronts her aquaphobia during a stay in Fiji. Despite her sister's drowning and her subsequent avoidance of water, B finds the courage to face her fear. She begins with small steps in a swimming pool and progresses to enjoying the ocean through kayaking and paddle boarding. This transformation is set against the backdrop of Fiji's idyllic waters, which serve as both the source of her fear and the inspiration for her healing. B's story is a testament to the power of water as a force of nature and a means of personal growth and healing.

Opinions

The author expresses admiration for B's bravery in confronting her fear of water.
The article suggests that the environment, particularly the beauty of Fiji's oceans, plays a significant role in motivating personal change.
Water is portrayed as having dual potential: to cause fear and trauma but also to facilitate healing and liberation.
The author believes that B's decision to engage with water activities represents a broader choice to not let fear dictate one's life experiences.
The narrative implies that facing fears incrementally can lead to significant personal achievements.
The author is inspired by the resilience and determination shown by B in her journey to overcome her phobia.

Monthly Challenge — Transforming Water From Foe To Friend

When you think of Fiji, you think of swaying palm trees, golden beaches, and most of all crystal clear turquoise water. Being there in person, you realise that this preconception does not disappoint.

The main thing you would want to do in Fiji is engage in water sports. Whether that is swimming, snorkeling, diving, or surfing, there is an abundance to choose from.

So imagine my surprise when I met my friend whom I’ll call “B” who hadn’t stepped foot in an ocean since she was a child. She had also spent nearly a month in Fiji and said she hadn’t swum in the ocean let alone step foot in the swimming pool. When she explained her reason I understood why.

She had a phobia of bodies of water and even being in a shallow swimming pool gave her anxiety.

When she was younger, one of her sisters sadly drowned. Ever since then her mother kept her away from any kind of water to avoid any further trauma and accidents again. I could understand her mother's fear. What a traumatic thing to go through as a mother. Even for B as a child and I can’t even imagine the pain her family went through. When she told me this it made complete sense.

However, being in such a beautiful place triggered her into wanting to shed her fear and be able to go into the ocean. She started off with baby steps. First, she allowed herself to be immersed in the swimming pool, which was scary for her but she forced herself to do it, she was determined.

Eventually, she moved on to being waist-deep in the sea, then kayaking, and eventually paddle boarding.

I was so proud of her. To have a fear for nearly her whole life and to be in a beautiful setting that triggered her into wanting to overcome that fear was such an inspiration.

She didn’t want her fear to rule her life any longer and hold her back from experiencing things and for that, she was so brave. She looked to water to heal her wounds even though it was something she was taught to fear.

That is the power of water. We forget that as water can give life it is also a powerful force of nature to be reckoned with. But it was the same thing that caused B’s fear that triggered her to overcome it. The beauty of the ocean that surrounded us was the catalyst for her to take her life back into her own hands and not be ruled by fear.

I love her story so much and what she did was such an inspiration. She had a choice to make and that was to either miss out on experiences due to her fear or to take small steps to overcome them. Initially, she was giving in to her fears, but she couldn’t take missing out on the beauty that surrounded us and this kick-started her progress into facing her fears head-on.

There are many ways that the ocean can trigger feelings within us, for me it was pure freedom and awe at being somewhere so beautiful and for my friend, it was growth and determination.

The ways that water affects us all are vastly different and serve as a reminder of how we can find great power within the essence of water, and that we can also find deep healing and calm.