Uniquely... Terrified of Sharks

My first venture into my self psyche was to share my irrational, ridiculous, incapacitating fear of sharks. I think it's safe to say that this fear has surpassed the normal scared stage and settled nicely into being a full blown phobia. I don't just fear sharks while in the ocean, I panic while swimming in lakes, canoeing in rivers, or even while hanging out in the neighborhood pool (the shadows look like sharks... I swear). It's rather ridiculous.

During a few weeks in Boston a friend and I travelled to Walden Pond to swim, lounge on the Massachussetts beach, and enjoy a little history. This "pond", made famous by American writer Henry David Thoreau, is actually not a pond at all. It's an enormous lake... but it's still a lake. No ocean access, no way that sharks could actually be in there. As Adam and I swam out into the middle of the lake I noticed the deep, dark water and how cold it was out in the middle. I realized how far I was from the shoreline. And then I realized the one thing that always sends me over the edge: I couldn't see my toes below me. If I can't see my toes, how could I see my impending shark-doom?

I panicked. Right then and there I had a panic attack in the lake and nearly drown. Good thing Adam was there! He put me into a back float and took me back to shore. (It was basically vacation time-out... I was acting ridiculously!)

So there it is. My name is Okie, and I have a problem. It's true that Sharks may never kill me; but my fear of sharks definately could!