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Tubing down a river that we foolishly weren't familiar with, and came around a bend to meet a 15-20 foot drop.
The water was rushing over the edge of the waterfall so fast and beneath was lava rock.
As I went over the edge my right leg jammed down between the rocks and the water pushed my body forward (so that it would look as though I am bending over to pick something up) and held me there.
I struggled something fierce trying to get my leg out and push my upper body from beneath the water to at least get a breath but the water was far more powerful than I.
It held me under for what seemed an eternity. Being the fighter that I am, I don't give up on things easily. However, for reasons I will never understand, I gave up. I resolved this was how I was going to die and I quit struggling...I simply gave up.
Next thing I know, a rush of water with tremendous force came under me and somehow my leg came free (can't figure that one out) and I continued down the waterfall face down, head first into the deep water below that was very calm once you were away from the rushing water.
Somehow I never lost consciousness. I swam to the embankment and got myself out of the water while the others in my party went through their own hell.
I was 15 at the time and my mother was with us and after we all knew everybody was okay and accounted for, everybody was getting ready to get back in the water and finish the trip down the river.
This was the one time in my life that I was blatantly, bold faced defiant towards my mother. She INSISTED I get back in that river and face that fear. (We are talking full name...middle and all, the real "mom" thing)
I stood fast with clenched fists and defiantly said NO! I walked the rest of the way down the river bank with the cuts bleeding and burning, angry that my fear would not let me back in the water.
I have never been on a river since. I can go out on a lake and play but I will pass on the river thank you.
And there is my story...
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In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was within me an invincible summer.
~Albert Camus
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