I went tubing one summer day in a gritty, cedar river with wild fish and fallen trees and thought nothing of it but being a good time. I was anxious initially, of course; not so much about the water, but more so about interacting with new people. I always struggled to articulate my thoughts and incorporate my arsenal of funny jokes seamlessly into conversation. As I sat stiffly during the car ride up the mountain, a quiet voice reminded me to ‘be cool,’ but the existence of the notion itself …show more content…
Listening to some 21-year-old shout good-naturedly about Star Wars became more about the actual act of listening rather than anticipating my rushed attempt at a witty reply, because the collective social interaction was inevitable with or without me. Suddenly, a sense of empowerment overflowed my heat hazed thoughts; I discovered I was capable of controlling my actions in moments of stress. Disconnection between myself and the others was lost and the sentiment of unity was gained. Comfort and tranquility settled like early-morning fog on a lake, while talking without care became progressively easier.
Then the tranquility turned into splashing and uproar, as the utterly skinny college freshman of the group rowed his arms in and out of the water to propel himself ahead into my cousin’s tube. The shift in the atmosphere was instantaneous; peace was put on time-out for a game of bumper cars. And with an appearance of a new obstacle, we were once again unified in cooperation as a new-fangled group of grimy friends. The splashing and uproar remained, but with a different goal: We chained our arms and guided one another away from the lethal logs that threatened to pop our