Waves of camel ink creep towards me, wiping the soft, white sand off my feet. I set down my cup of blueberry-pomegranate gelato on the ground and stare at the endless horizon in front of me. The sky was overrun with faint lavenders and striking oranges, swirling around clouds colored with every possible shade of pink. No booming laughter. No sailboats or scuba divers. No birds ca-cawing in the distance. Silence was my only companion, and I loved it.
I stand up and walk towards the tall, majestic arches on the other side of the beach, my sea-green skirt billowing in the wind. The sunlight bounces off the clear water and splits into a rainbow of soothing blues, salient reds, lively yellows, and lush emeralds. I close my eyes and feel the rushing wind vigorously slap my face. All my worldly, seemingly intimidating problems seemed so small and trivial. Silence, silence.
Some people seek refuge through athletics; they find comfort through grassy fields, basketball courts, and running shoes. Others feel at home on the stage. They feel at one with the three S’s: spotlights, scripts, and Shakespeare. I had a panoply of hobbies and interests -- writing, music, speech and debate, you name it. But, for me, the ocean is my safe haven. If I had told you that my favorite place in all of Europe was some random beach off the coast of a tiny island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, you would probably stare back at me with a quizzical, disdainful glare. Somya, you’re literally surrounded by marbled cities, glittering skyscrapers, and mounds upon mounds of culture. And, all you care about is some body of water?
Of course, I appreciate European art, literature, and architecture. “Faust” is my light reading. “Guernica” is my home screen on my iPhone. Aside from the occasional selfie or food pic, my photo library consists of German churches, French museums, and Greek temples. Every aspect of my life is immersed in culture. But, my hours at the ocean are a time for me to reflect. I can unscramble and simplify my seemingly complicated problems into decisive steps for a solution. For once in my life, I can cast all my worries aside to teach myself how to love the little things in life. I can ponder the world's most enigmatic intricacies in calm, stoic silence.
More importantly, the ocean inspires me. I come to the shore with all my seemingly perplexing problems, searching for definite answers about my open-ended questions about life. I divulge all my deepest, darkest secrets to the blue waters in front of me.
And, the waves whisper back: “Don’t stop.” Keep going. Keep going like the sea. Like the vividly blue waters around me, I must never stop moving. Waves come and go, but dreams are forever. Nothing can stop me from achieving something bigger, something greater. No dream is unattainable. No obstacle is insurmountable. The world can be a scary place, but once you just let go, nothing is impossible. Nothing.
