The Shoreline

By Wendy Mu

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In between the sea and the sand, today, was me. I gazed at the border of both letting the waves wash at my thoughts.

It was a rocky, rough journey to get there. I’ve walked across tall hills, hard rock mounds, and mushy mud lands. The soft, peachy sand was a mark to a journey’s end long awaited – relief to a burden long held.

A bellowing breeze blew at me sharing a rush of savory saltiness, like an tasty serving of garlic fries. The clear day’s sun massages my face with zesty warmth – an adoring parent pinching my cheeks. Up above, lazy birds drifted on their relaxed strolls across an open blue beyond.

I stood there fascinated so many things happening with no worry or consequence, and my resolve evaporated with it all. I had come to wash away my worries, anticipating soaking in water would soften them; I planned for the endless shuffling of waves to carry the troubles to distant lands. In the water there was drifting – the world would decide what’s next for me. But standing at the boundary of two realities something else simpler colored over me.

In that moment, I was immersed in wonder.

It was such a wonder that transforms – it rolled out worry until they were thin noodles of novel intrigue, and stretched my jagged concerns until they were sheets of casual opinion. Everything was still there, but nothing was the same.

And I loved the feeling in this light. I sank heavily into the grounding sand and let the crashing ocean waves perform its dramatic show, my thoughts lifting and floating weightlessly with the birds. I closed my eyes.

In that moment, I had completely left the dimension. The ocean in front of me turned into a mysterious expanse, and I proceeded towards it not with body but mind. What I found was a vast, dark space that was unexplored yet nostalgic - I glided pass planets of my memories and headed towards a central light they seemed to lead to, which I knew could only be the concept I called my true self.

The light was surprisingly warm but unmistakably familiar; there was me and all the emotions I was made of: sadness, happiness, anger, and even worries nurtured in the singular garden of my mind. I had forgotten about this place, so busy traveling and exploring; and, I have been unaware it was this warmth that served as the light source during all my adventures.

As I visited, I remembered that the reason I left this frame of mind so important was to only to find myself a little better. I called out to the galaxy looking for places and things like me, working hard through school and jobs just to find somewhere homely. But traveling the distance, I found nothing of the sort and have arrived back to myself - there truly was no other land, person, or idea like me.

Although I am at the same place again, it felt much nicer and warmer than when I had last left years ago. My time away made the light that much stronger being a fresh feeling after going away so long. So, after taking a pause for my spirit and body, I prepared to set off into the world once more. I knew I had to leave to truly find my inner self again.

Opening my eyes, I turned to gaze at the scene before me - the shore stretched endlessly with brightness and life just like that light inside I just had. Time keeps passing and life keeps changing; I started off the beach with both spirit and feet as the last traces of my daydream disappeared into the horizon like the land.

How many more times will I find myself, and where will I find it next? I was pensive but accepting - the unknown and familiar were just two sides of the same coin, and the process of figuring it out is living.

Perhaps my journey will always end and then begin again, just like the shifting water and land at the shoreline. My burdens were lifted as I left and trekked back onto the rocky trails of life.