Dive Into A Photo
I am sitting in my office, looking at a family photo which was taken 4 decades ago in Northern Sinai, Egypt.
In this photo I’m 4 years old, staring at the camera with a profound look. I still have this look in my eyes aged 44. This look is a mix of determination, curiosity and concentration, three pillars that still characterize me today. This visual flirt with my inner child enables me to peel back the layers of time, and distill my true nature.
Sinai’s pace is different than any place on earth, a meditative one.
The biblical history in every corner, the local inhabitants, the Bedouin nomads, combined with the extreme hot weather for eight months a year, composes this tempo.
Whenever I cross the border I feel as if I am time traveling. Not only because of my childhood memories, but also because of the local lifestyle which has remained the same for decades.The feeling of relaxation usually hits me 24 hours after my arrival. Like an unaware body which finally gets a massage.
During my first dive I was fearful. I was thinking too much rather than flowing with the moment. I was lucky to have nice friends on board who pushed me to face the unplanned underwater phobia, and cross it.
We spent four unforgettable days and nights on a boat, talking, listening, seeing and smelling dives.
On our way back to the crossing border, we passed the viewpoint from the famous family photo. I asked the driver to pull over and photograph me for a wonderful sense of closure.
Whenever I follow my heart and let my curiosity lead me, unforgettable memories are born. This time it started with a sweet childhood memory on a wall.
The beautiful underwater photos were taken by Noam Davida.