He was telling a friend about his recently failed relationship when the other drew an odd but interesting analogy. Talking about this ex-love, they said “She sounds like she was a snorkeler, not a scuba diver.”

He was confused. “I don’t get what you’re saying.”

“A snorkeler is content to float just below the surface of the water, looking at whatever pretty fish and reefs are within sight. At any sign of danger they can surface, swim back to the boat and get out quickly. 

"But the scuba diver wants to go deep because they know that’s where the really interesting things live. To do that though you’ve got to be willing to learn how to use and wear heavy equipment. Plus we all know diving into the depths can often be very dangerous. 

“I believe for real loves, the long lasting loves, even just the ones that are memorable and important to our growth, both of you need to be scuba divers. To make it real, to make a bond last and genuinely mean something, you’ve both got to be willing to put on the 'equipment' and go deep.” She smiled “Most of all, you have to have the courage and curiosity to swim into the caves and the darkness down there where the big ones live.”

--Jonathan Carroll