Sweet relief

I took this photo in Sopol Poland several years ago. It was October, far too late in the year for anyone to go wading in the Baltic. And yet, this old woman hobbled through the wind to the water, and stood in the water for several minutes. I have always loved this photo – it’s told me so many stories. (Here is one of them called The Mermaid Returns) I will always wonder what was playing in her mind and her heart as she stood there.

The Mermaid Returns

It was in Sopol, on the Polish shore that I spotted her, gingerly making her way back to the sea. As soon as the waters touched her feet she seemed to relax, to breathe more deeply and feel more free. In a moment, she could just dive in.