Keep Swimming

Sometime in September I had this dream that I'm rather certain was inspired by the Hudson River plane landing of January 2009 and by my German relatives.



US Airways - January 15, 2009

In this dream I was heading out of New York and heading to Europe for an extended stay with my German relatives.  Except, rather than flying across the Atlantic, my plane crashed into the Hudson.  And, unlike the plane that landed on the water a few years ago, the nose of my plane dove into the river, well beneath the surface.

Everything went black.  And the plane started to fill with water.

This is it.  I'm a goner. 
Or am I?  I reconsidered.
Would it be possible to find my way out of the plane? 
I knew I had to at least try.

As I unbuckled my seat belt I considered my laptop under the seat in front of me.  Even if I escaped, there was no way my computer would make it.  "My book!  My book!" I panicked, fearing the lost of all the chapters I had written.  But  then I recalled I had e-mailed my book out to several individuals.  Somehow I was relieved, knowing that even if I didn't survive, my book would.

I found my way to an opened emergency exit.  By then the plane was nearly full of the Hudson.  I took one last gasp of air, and then went under and out the door, determined to fight for the surface.

I didn't I know how deep our plane had plunged, or if I even stood a chance.  But I kept swimming.
I couldn't see a thing.  I could only feel the flailing of my arms.  But I kept swimming.
I sensed I was swimming toward the surfaced, but I didn't know for certain.  But I kept swimming.

Just keep swimming.  I told myself. 
Keep swimming.
Or maybe it was God telling me. 
Keep swimming.
Or maybe it was the spirit of Nemo.
Keep swimming.
I was getting tired - really tired.
Keep swimming.
I need oxygen.
I feared I wouldn't make it.
But then I could see light. 
And I knew I was close.
Keep swimming.
Keep swimming.
Keep swimming.

I pushed through, and arrived at the surface.  Finally, I could breathe once more.