Like Calls To Like (Book 2)

Certified

A dream

A decade

In the making

A goal too far

Out of reach

A phobia

Holding me back

I'm a scuba diver

Finally a

Certified one

No more waiting

17th time

Proved to be

The charm

Remembering that

Very first time

In '99

Eilat, Israel

Red Sea

A small thing

Water in my nose

That was all

That kept me

From achieving

Certified

This wasn't planned

Nor forseen

I had signed up

For the usual

Discover Scuba

With the inexperienced

I knew I was

Going to sit through

The exercises

Staring at the ceiling

Because by

Time 17

You know what to do

It is in your blood

I knew I was

Going to do the

Underwater steps

Then swim around

At 25ft depth

I knew I was

Going to be told

I have good form

Eyes were going to

Get wide at the

#17

And THE question

Would be asked

"Why aren't you certified?"

But this

This I didn't know

I didn't know that

#17 would equal

Certified

I faced my greatest

Phobia

I took the mask

Off underwater

And on the second attempt

Put it back on

First came

A 3 hr long

Pool session

Then class for 2 hrs

The following day

Heaven

2 open water dives

Went down 44ft

Saw an eel

Two baby stingrays

A water snake

And tons of fish

No barracudas this time

But then

We were in Cozumel

Not St. Thomas

So I'd have to see

My friend

The barracuda

Next time

But now

PADI

Has me

Listed as

Certified

I get my card

In 2 weeks' time

Can't believe

I did it!

I'm pretty proud

Of myself

And still doesn't

Seem real

But I can

Finally put

A check next

To this big dream

Can say happily

I AM A CERTIFIED SCUBA DIVER!