Entre la vie

Do the sane wander along the shore, drawn by the pull of the ocean’s mysteries? Day after day, I find myself tracing the edge of the water, letting the waves lap at my feet, listening to the sea’s murmur. It’s a pretense, perhaps, to watch life unfold around me. To hear the laughter of children as they dash in and out of the surf, the distant call of a seagull, or the quiet rhythm of a lone fisherman casting his line. It’s hard not to dream of slipping into another life, one that sails freely upon these waters. Time dissolves by the ocean; people come with burdens and leave with salt in their hair, returning to something unseen but important. Whether it’s a warm kitchen or an open highway, they’re always heading back to another world. All of it seems richer than wandering this desolate beach on an aimless afternoon, hoping to feel something more than isolation.

I sift through the sand, as if a pearl lies hidden beneath the surface. There isn’t one, there never is. Yet, in this patient search, I notice a couple strolling hand in hand, their laughter mingling with the wind. I see a woman in a flowing dress, her eyes lost in the horizon. I see a man standing alone, his gaze fixed on the setting sun. I imagine myself in their lives. It fills me with a quiet joy and an equal sadness, for everyone is living, while I am merely a spectator. I wonder what it feels like to remain enchanted by the ocean’s endless dance, where every wave holds the promise of a new beginning, not just a reminder of solitude.

– Vie (10.Jul.2022, Birthday, Beach, and the Belonging, inspired by a grocery store excerpt)