To the world you might be one person...

So back to that time I plunged into the Andaman Sea off a long tail boat, free of the restraints of time and gravity. I entered the other worldly realm of Nemo.  Though I was told that the reef sustained serious damage in the 2004 tsunami, I found myself once again marveling at the beauty of creation. Coral formations like monstrous ship-wrecked cerebellums were swarmed by flashy fish with coloring so garish it made me wonder how they fit into Darwin’s scheme. My snorkel mask, used by countless tourists before me, was mildly leaky. Every few minutes I assumed sea otter position, floating on my back, avoiding the eight-inch needles of the pin cushion-like sea urchins below me, gulping life-sustaining breaths of balmy island air, and repositioning my mask. On my third or fourth repetition of this routine, I spotted the beckoning wave of our veteran guide. I made my way to the side of the boat where he handed me a new mask and snorkel, which I guessed were his own, to save me from an afternoon of intermittent struggle. I accepted gratefully and stretched the new mask over my face as a fellow snorkeler boasted of an exciting encounter.  I swam back out among the coral, view unobstructed, breath clear and easy, hoping to stumble upon the mysterious creature claimed to have been seen out among the formations. My determined pursuit quickly faded to aimless exploration, until I again caught the beckoning wave of our guide in my periphery, this time from below the surface. Using my faulty mask, propelled by flipper-less feet, he moved forward with the ease of a native and I followed closely and curiously behind.  He dipped under the restrictive buoyed rope and I followed, defying my irrational fear of sharks in the invincible presence of a local. Moments later, he pointed to the creature he’d located with radar-like ease. I feigned my recognition of his finding, unable to spot it among the forest of coral but not wanting to spoil his efforts. Seeing right through my bizarre attempt to be polite, he wiggled his foot in the direction he’d just indicated and out popped the ugliest living thing I’ve ever seen: a moray eel. It was awesome. Scraggly teeth and beady eyes, I could hardly believe my own. Our guide smiled behind his snorkel, recognizing that this time I’d actually seen the mini monster, my face registering some blend of horror and elation. Mission accomplished, he swam back toward the boat he’d abandoned, pointing out a beautiful starfish wiggling its way across the sand as he went. I doubt he’ll ever know how much his efforts meant to me, both sharing his snorkel and leading me to that nasty treasure. He was an amazing guide, start to finish. Laid back, thoughtful, humble, and cheerful. He was the kind of guy that lights up the world, doing what he loves and sharing it with others. Sure he’s not a world leader, but he meant the world to me that day. There’s nothing cooler than people living their passion. Be who you are and do what you love, and you’ll shape the world, or at least someone in it.