I stand on the shore.
From the waves crashing in the distance to the wet sand between my toes, all is peaceful, all is beautiful. I reach my hand down into the white froth rising around my ankles. It feels warm to my touch and as the sea laps at my fingers, I find myself swaying in unison with its flowing rhythm.
Under the rays of the moon, the shore seems aglow with bright yet cold light. It is a chaotic blend of blue and gray, contrasting with the ethereal reflection of the white sand.
I take a step deeper into the shadowed waves, letting my body rock with the sea. My hands lie limply at my sides and as I look out at the endless ocean, my eyes begin too well.
The sting of tears or the sting of the sea breeze, are they not the same? As my tears drip into the ocean, they become one.
I take another step, looking into the blue darkness without fear. The depth calls to me and even as the current grows in strength, I go further.
The danger that surrounds me, be it a predator or the majestic ocean itself, I pay no heed. In my heart, I know that as deep as I ever swim, I could have gone deeper. Perhaps that is the curse of depth, that in its pursuit we may very well drown.
The water has now risen around my neck and I know the choice has come. To swim beneath the waves and risk being lost forever? Or to step back and forever wonder how much of the sea could I have known?
I close my eyes, feeling every ripple of the ocean as I take a breath of sea air.
I have made my decision.
© Faith Fawks
Photo by M.E.F