For me, the word afloat conjures images of boats and ducks, until I recall my adventure of a lifetime.
Two years ago, I had the chance to ride in a hot air balloon in Morocco. We got up well before dawn and drove for hours to a remote rural area nestled among dark green hills.
The captain invited us aboard, burners firing. Tethers released, we rose as if by magic and were suddenly afloat, drifting over the beautiful pink and orange pastel shades of the Moroccan countryside. Between intermittent burner bursts to maintain our altitude, all I could hear were birds calling to one another across the nearly silent morning. It was a wonderful and strange feeling; I was in awe, afloat over the earth, passing villages just beginning to stir and greet the day.
Afloat over the Moroccan countryside. Photo by Krista. (CC BY-SA 2.0)
How do you interpret the word afloat? It could be the expression on your son’s face as he jumps on the bed. Maybe it’s your daughter’s triumphant smile after tossing training wheels to master her two-wheeler. It could be a beautiful cloud formation, pollen on the breeze, or an errant birthday party balloon making its escape into the sky. So looking forward to seeing what afloat means to you.
