Seeing the rising sun, my mind races to the beach for all the fun,  
Yet my two-year-old self craves the beach, not caring what I may see.  
“Mommy it's time to swim” I say running around as I play in the gym.  
“No, my little fish as it is February, the lake is colder than the sea.”  
I am distracted by seeing the water at the lake,
and the images begin to flow of what I could be.  
A popsicle maybe.

I beg and beg until its time, mother has decided its lesson time.  
“Okay let's go my little fish, time to swim and see what you can be.”  
Heart racing, excitement overflowing, walking to a beach is where I am going. 
Planning my attack into the water, how would a mermaid do it in the sea. 
My two-year-old heart beats as I see, the sand, the water, the ice-covered lake waiting for me. 
Eyes open wide, I set my stance and race into the calm ice-covered lake and freezing I will be.

The cold takes my breath away, yet the smile on my face shows happiness anyway. 
Swimming in the cool icy water, goose bumps begin to cover me. 
Mother looks down and smiles, “maybe give mister sun a chance to warm it up for a while?” 
Nodding vigorously, I jump out, feeling cold and free. 
I wait for a tradition has begun at the age of two, jumping and wading into an icy lake is all I can see. 
Looking down the hill at the icy tundra of a lake, I smile for now I start to see who I will be.