I say Marco, you say Polo!
on running away, finding oneself and beautiful views
“I’m out with lanterns, looking for myself” - Emily Dickinson.
The coastline was something out of a postcard. The kind of postcard you sent to your loved one after a long 20 days in the ocean with sandy beaches glimmering and the tinted blue of your dress cataloguing itself against the backdrop of the ultramarine ocean.
The long sails of the colorful sail boats set barracks to stop the ocean waves overpowering and reaching the promenade. Honestly, i would like to feel the water beneath my toes, on the walkways and the edges of the road.
Its getting old, walking in the seashore.
The ocean waves hit the small paddles of the rowboats as i walked past, children climbing out, climbing in. Old men in sea hats holding paddles in an effort to take a picture in the moment of it all. I sat there with my legs crossed holding a cone of chocolate ice cream that my dad bought. I was wearing my favorite shirt that has blue, green and orange minuscule floral prints and my favorite toothless and light fury bracelets.
My dark blue striped pants harmonized with the sea shell scattered sandy beach. I’ve never seen a beach as beautiful and striking as this. Sea shells of different sizes and colors twinkled throughout the coastline. My sister joined me, with her legs outspread just enough for the water to brush against her feet. She upturned the palms of her hand over my shirt. Now, among the florals were a haphazard collection of rocks and seashells and marbles.
My hands were apprehensive of resting its palm against the seashore, terrified to hurt the seashells. The shells were so small it felt like placing my hand over layers of board pins. Nevertheless, slowly, bit by bit, i placed my palm along the free space of sand and dust. I could feel a unilateral throb beneath my palms.
It was as if the seashell encrusted shoreline had a heart, like it was breathing into the water and showing off its beautiful braided hair of mismatched shells, it was as if it knew i was there, beating phlegmatically, embracing me to its warm clutches, telling me to breathe purposefully and to live a little.
I wanted to embrace it back, tightly hold the ground beneath me, telling the shoreline that i wanted to stay here forever, wanted to stay in this coastline with its ice cream and coconuts and stunning views forever, as long as time went on.
I think I want to live in a coastal town where i could visit the beach every day, tend to it, lie against it and talk to the waves. I wish i befriended a cat on that trip, i wish i brought it along with me, i wish i could stay in the beach with my cat. I wish I could run away, far away from this city and dive into the ocean with its coastal air and serene shores.
On my birthday last year, my parents took me to a mountaintop. It was a 2 hour ride from the beachline. I was an echo of the sky that day, draped in sky-blue shirt and black pants contrasting perfectly with my white shoes. My wrist was also draped with the watch and the bracelets that i never forget to wear, taking it along all the adventures and exploration that i do, its a bracelet filled with memories.
To get to the mountaintop you have to climb 20 or 30 stairs, not all at once. there were sites on each floor of the mountain plateau, the floors consisted of beautiful greenery and wonderful sites of the ocean below. We continued to walk the stairs until we reached the very top. from there we had to walk uphill an esplanade until we reached the apex of the mountaintop. Along the esplanade was beautiful railings made of brick. There were hundreds of people at that site. Teenagers were sitting with their legs hanging from the brick wall; i joined them.
I was scared to look down, but i did - it was a downhill slope, a snake could crawl up, or i could slip but i was too full of impetuous courage to care. I sat along the brick wall anyways.
It was 5: 32 pm, the sun was just around the edge of the ocean. I sat up, heart beating fast like that of the seashell encrusted beach. I felt like i was in a movie theater, waiting, with baited breath along with everyone else to see the sun hit the shoreline and the light to disperse in a thousand different colours which our eyes are too fragile to distinguish. Holding on to the edge of the railing, i could’ve jumped into the ocean, i could’ve ran down the hill and over the ocean just to come in embrace with the sun that was starting to show colour. I was excited, alive and oh so stupefied, marveling the beautiful creation before my eyes. The suns ray hit the shoreline and all of us collectively let out a big sigh.
I listened to the seashell encrusted beach, i lived.
