Ganesh

Did you know that elephants can swim? Even float! Their trunks are built-in snorkels. I have not seen this with my own eyes, but saw a photo in one of Dr. Sylvia Earle’s books about the ocean: the image stuck. How many things seem impossible, but aren’t? Like surfing, or writing a book, or pirouettes.

Every so often I come across an image of an elephant, usually when I’m anxious. “Hello, Ganesh!” I’ll say to the painting near the surf shop, the sculpture in a neighbor’s garden, a photo of him swimming in the Seychelles. And I know I’m fine. The Remover of Obstacles is on the case.