John loved the mountains. He was a brave and adventurous boy, always ready to explore new paths and climb small rocks. His favorite part of any mountain adventure was finding a sparkling, clear stream. He loved to splash in the cool, shallow water, chasing tiny fish and looking for smooth, colorful stones.

Every summer, John and his family visited their cozy cabin nestled among the tall green trees. He knew all the shallow parts of the stream nearby, where the water tickled his knees and the sun made the pebbles glitter like treasure. John felt like a tiny explorer discovering new worlds, always safe and sound.

One sunny morning, his dad pointed to a new path winding deeper into the woods. "Look, John! A new adventure!" His heart thumped with excitement. They walked and walked until they found a hidden part of the stream. Here, the water pooled into a small, calm lake, sparkling under the sun. It looked so inviting, but also… much deeper.

John peered into the clear water. He could see the bottom, but it seemed so far away! The water looked cool and refreshing, but his tummy did a tiny flip. His heart started to beat a little faster, thump-thump, thump-thump. This was deeper than he had ever seen before!

"Wow, that's a big splash zone!" his dad said, smiling. "It looks a bit deeper here, doesn't it? We can hold hands if you want to try, just to see." John looked at his dad, then back at the deep, inviting water. The adventurous part of him wanted to jump right in, but the deeper water felt a little scary.

Taking a deep breath, John bravely stepped to the edge. He reached out and grabbed his dad's hand tightly. "Okay, I'm ready!" he declared, though his voice was a tiny bit wobbly. One foot in, then the other. The water felt so cool! But then, it kept going up and up! It was higher than his waist, higher than his chest!

His heart went *thump-thump-thump* really fast now. He felt the water pushing against him, and for a second, he thought he might float away. He squeezed his dad's hand even tighter, his eyes wide. This was the deepest water he had ever, ever been in!

"I've got you, John!" his dad said softly, holding his hand firm. "You're doing great! Feel how strong you are?" John looked at his dad's kind face, then back at the water. He was still holding on, and he was still standing! His brave, adventurous spirit sparked inside him. He could do this!