Have you even lived?
Life is a near death experience
Hello, Death Defiers!
Have you ever had a near-death experience?
have you even lived
if you haven’t almost died
in the ocean at least once?
Today’s haiku is a little bit of a cheat. Instead of my usual 5-7-5, this one is 5-7-7.1
I was listening to Owen Wilson talk with Rick Rubin on his new podcast, and the two were recounting some of their near-death experiences while swimming in the ocean. They laughed, and both remarked how almost drowning didn’t stop them from continuing to swim and love the ocean.
It reminded me of the time I almost drowned in the ocean. I was 19, and in the best shape of my life—which is probably why I survived. I was full of the myopic confidence only the young can have when I was caught in the undertow, held underwater, and nearly drowned. I was pulled so far out that when I eventually was able to surface, moments before I surely would’ve blacked out, I had to swim about a mile back to shore.
Once I crawled onto the beach, I just lay in the sand. It was the most exhausted I’ve ever been.
Just like Rubin and Wilson, I also continued to swim and surf in the ocean. The ocean has too strong of a magnetic pull on my would for me to stay away.
Or perhaps, I’m just not that smart.
Be the weird you want to see in the world!
Cheers,
Jason
I figure if the great haiku masters like Bashō, Issa, and Shiki can occasionally skirt the syllable constraint, why not me?
I sent your haiku to my husband who is an offshore ocean sailor and he replied:
Just trying to count how many times I've almost died in the ocean 🤪 not many thankfully but it's certainly made me feel alive countless times 😊
Too true Jason.
Nearly drowning is the only activity in which I haven't almost died. Everything else, cycling, climbing, skiiing, walking, dining, etc, I've crossed off my "nearly kicked-the-bucket" list.
That's why I'm positive it'll be one of Oregon's dreaded "sneaker waves" that'll get me as I casually walk along the beach.