Karlie Key, My Happy Place

Spanish moss tangled in branches. Green algae floating on the water’s surface. Alligators roaming the muggy bayous. These are all images that fill the minds of most people when “water” and “Louisiana” are strung into the same sentence. On the other hand, these words conjure in my mind a vision of my own personal heaven. The lake is the only place I feel like I have been broken free from all the responsibilities and stress the world has brought upon me. It is a nice reprieve from the hours hunched over a desk consulting my endless to - do list and fifteen grueling hours a week spent in a heavily chlorinated pool. I look at the lake as my slice of heaven where I can get away from all the stress the world brings and enjoy the moments that make me happiest. As soon as I lay my eyes on the clear water, a mix of dopamine and adrenaline runs through my veins. From the first jump into the water, I feel my stress dissolve into the depths of the water. For miles, the sun’s bright rays reflect off the varnish-clear lake to create an illusion of millions of diamonds floating along the water’s surface. With each hour passing at the lake, the sky turns a shade more sapphire and the sun a rosy apricot. Clouds in the sky look like white fluffy pillows, and my imagination manages to convince me that little angels dance among the clouds. The sky looks even more radiant in the lake’s reflection; it is magical. The lake never fails to turn the corners of my mouth upwards - if a picture were taken of me without knowing, I would have the biggest, most genuine smile stretched across my face.

One part of the lake that brings me the most joy is wakeboarding. I love every second of it, from the moment my body rises out of the water and being pulled by the force of the boat, to wiping out face-first in the water. The first time I strapped my feet into the 150 centimeter board, I vowed to myself I would soon perfect jumping the wake. Embarrassed the first time of barely getting up on the first shot, I felt an enormous amount of added pressure because I held the title of being an all-star swim athlete. The first time I ever jumped the wake I was shocked at what had happened. First, I turned out of the wake so when I would cut back in I could gain enough momentum to jump the hilly, turbulent trail the boat left behind. As

I approached the white wake I bent my knees, hugged the rope, and flew into the air. Every weight was instantly lifted off my shoulders as I flew a foot into the air. As the board neared the surface, I tucked my knees and let it skim across the glassy water. Who knew a small jump would result in such a big personal achievement? Time flies out on the lake; the only way to see how long I have been on the water is to see how my red sunburn has progressed. My favorite sight after a successful day spent at the lake is having front row seats to the magnificent sunsets paradise has to offer. As the waves crash along the side of the boat, the orange ball slowly makes its way down the horizon streaking the sky with a trail of colors. The lake engulfs the orange ball of fire and the bright orange turns into a pitch black. The sight of millions of stars flooding the sky is my signal to leave my fantasy land and head back to the real world.