The fish and the diver

The saying goes that time flies when you’re having fun. Many people can testify that time passes even faster in the summer. The days are longer and yet they always appear too short. And before you know it, summer has passed and a new season approaches.

The end of vacations leaves you with a sweet lust for more – a longing for a life of eternal holiday, carefree and away from anything that causes stress and white hair to appear.

A yearning to escape the “real” life, for something more…desirable.

But given the chance, would you truly do so? There always seems to be something pulling you back. A cautious realism fighting the idealistic dream.

And it instils within you a dilemma. What would you do if you were given the chance to change your life?

Here’s a short story on this:

There once was a young man who worked as a banker. He hated the fact that his job was same in same out. There was no excitement. Nothing that sparked the adrenaline in his body. Nothing at all like diving, which he loved and would do at every opportunity he got. He dreamed of a house by the sea, where he could spend endless hours in the water with his favourite sport. But the problem was the one thing he was now occupying his days with: money. If he followed his dream, he would soon be short of cash, and have no income whatsoever. It would be much harder finding a job as a diver than as a banker.

One day, in his diving expeditions, he saw a beautiful yellow-coloured fish swimming around him. He stood still and used his snorkelling gear to take a closer look. It was a fish that seemed as sleek as the clear waters that day. And as it reflected the rays of the sun it appeared to be sparkling. As if it was wearing a crown of diamonds. The fish was not afraid of him. Far from it. It even swam right up to him. And as the diver could not resist, he stretched out his hand as if to catch it.

The fish swam right into his palm instead of away from it.

Hauling it out of the water, the diver observed the fish closely. It appeared to be staring intently at him. As if it wanted to say something.

“You’re wondering what kind of a fish I am”, he suddenly heard a voice say.

“I’m enchanted. And I can change your life as you please.”

It was the fish that was speaking to him. It had a soothing feminine voice that suited its regal figure.

The diver gasped and almost dropped it back into the water. The fish was sitting still in his hand. Not gushing at all, like it would be expected from fish out of water.

“How? What? How…?” thought the dumbstruck diver.

“Here’s the issue,” said the fish. “You can either kiss me and I will turn into a princess and we may end up together. Or you may say the word and you will become a fish too, here with me, swimming freely for the rest of your days without a care in the world.”

The diver was flabbergasted. What do you say to that? Do you accept a princess and endure the hardships of supporting both of you, or do you abandon the human world for that of the life aquatic?

It was a tough decision to make. But in his heart he knew what he would choose…

What would you choose?

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