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Health & Fitness

Letting Go (Of My Nose)

I hold my nose when I jump into the water. So why did I love my whitewater rafting trip so much?

I hold my nose when I jump into water.

It's a sad fact, one that I'm fairly ashamed of, but I've learned to accept it about myself. I'm not a very good swimmer, so I usually just avoid the water.

However, when you're whitewater rafting, water is pretty tough avoid.

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Whitewater rafting has been on my mom's list for a long time, so long that I pretty much thought it would never happen. But happen it did when my family booked a trip down to the New River Gorge in West Virginia for a few days of outdoorsy goodness.

Most of my family was pretty excited about the developments. Hey, a new adventure! What fun!

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I, however, went into the whole rafting experience with an attitude that fluctuated between negative and please-God-I-don't-want-to-die. I mean, I can't hold my nose if I'm holding a paddle in both hands, can I?

I actually used to want to be a dolphin trainer when I grew up. That was before I started swimming lessons and realized how awful getting water up your nose is. I gave up my dreams of Sea Worlds and Flippers because I hated the water so much.

This rafting thing would just ratchet the bad up another couple levels.

But it didn't.

I loved rafting. Every last bit of it.

I loved the quirky guide with his corny jokes that he set up impeccably. Do you know why the beer can that fell 800 feet off the bridge didn't hurt the kayaker who it hit? It's because it was a light beer. Obviously.

I loved the rapids that ranged from pleasantly rollicking to less-pleasantly rip-roaring. They were sometimes splashy and sometimes stinging, but it was wonderful to work with the water. The guide knew the currents and adjusted accordingly.

I loved how I always felt completely safe.

I loved scrambling to find the waterproof camera after every rapid.

I loved the adrenaline and the rollercoaster-esque feeling of having my stomach drop out from under me.

I loved feeling semi-invincible, to the point where I was the first one in my boat to volunteer to jump off a cliff ... into the water of course. I was feeling utterly fearless, partly because I had a life preserver on, and partly because it was just that kind of euphoria-y day.

So I climbed up, waited my turn in line, and took a running jump. I fell for longer than I thought possible and yelled and hit the water.

The force of the fall wrenched my hand off of my nose.

And I loved that too.

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