waves…

It was breezy. The smell of the salty air teased her nose, as the wind moved through the hair that kept escaping from her clip, whipping her hair in disarray. She kept trying to secure her hair away from her face. Ready to give up on any hope of getting her hair under control, she quickly grasped her hair atop her head, pinning it on top. With one last pat, she began observing her clothes.

A black t-shirt and shorts that were ragged and well worn is all she had.  Still, she wiped her hands over her shirt, as if to iron out the wrinkles that the moisture from the sea had created.

She glanced down at her toes, wiggling in the sand. She lifted her toes upwards, trying to allow the cool water to rush in under them. When she lifted her feet up, the sand filled in, only to squish outward when she rooted her feet deeper into the earth.  The foam from the ocean lapped around her ankles as each wave slowly rocked in around her. She noticed how deep the sand felt. It was coarse, and she could feel a tug from the ocean as one wave retreated, before steeling herself against the small waves that were edging first close, then slowly retreating back where they had came from.

Her head turned, looking over her shoulders.  Each direction, she could see people standing along the beach. The sun was in her eyes, and she had to squint to see even those who were closest to her, standing along the sandy shoreline. They were all individuals, standing solitarily along the shore. She wanted to ask why but noticed that she herself was all alone. Her gaze lengthened further along the beach, noticing friends and family she recognized.

Her arm raised, waving frantically, as she smiled and called out to them.  Faster, her arm, outstretched, pumped from side to side.  Still, no one glanced her way.  She cupped her hands to her mouth and shouted.  Laughing, she bent over, her arms wrapping around her waist, giggling that she was alone, yet could see so many she knew and loved, but they could neither see nor hear her.

The smile on her face froze, as she realized that although there were so many she recognized and knew, some she even loved, she was all alone on this small area of beach and sand. Her head still turning from one shoulder, towards the other, she saw individuals, much like herself, standing and bracing against the waves.  Some were standing back up after having been knocked down by waves. Others appeared to be bracing for waves that seemed to engulf them.  She stood with bated breath, wondering how these waves were not hitting them all along the shoreline.

“Strange, I don’t see any waves near me.”

Again, the woman glanced out towards the horizon.  The darkening clouds were billowing and building upon each other.  She looked down at her feet, as another wave rocked against her legs.  This one forced her to take a step back, as she hadn’t been braced or ready for it.  She was still standing, and for that she was thankful.

She turned to walk away, but her legs wouldn’t carry her. Her heart raced. She realized that there was no turning away.  With some sort of invisible guidance, her body was held tightly facing forward.

She tried lifting her legs against the heavy sand, but each step only pulled her feet deeper and deeper into the wet, rough beach.  She saw the water pull away, and as her eyes raised in question, the wave hit her, knocking her to the ground.

Surprised at its strength and intensity, she looked for others to come help, but no one seemed to notice.  She stood up, this time, bruised and bit battered at the strength of the wave.

Again, she tried calling out to those around her for help. Why couldn’t they see her struggling?  Why did they leave her all alone?

Each person seemed to be fighting their own waves, some higher and some more gentle, only lapping at their ankles.  Again, she glanced out towards the horizon.

If a wave was going to come towards her again, this time she would be prepared.

She bent her knees, leaning heavily on her right leg, as she stepped her left foot backwards.  She would be ready this time.  Chin raised, shoulders back, she was ready for the water as it pulled further away, adding height to an already powerful wave coming towards her.

The sun forcing her to squint, she tried leaning in, as the wave came roaring towards her.  Her focus was intent, looking solely at what lay before her and this time, she refused to look beside her.  She knew she needed to brace against what was headed her way.

The wind in her face, blowing tendrils of hair across her forehead, stilled for just a moment. The mist moistened her face and arms, as she had closed her eyes, too scared to see what was coming towards her.

It was shocking how hard it hit. The air from her lungs was forced out on impact. The wave forcing her backwards. The water, now over her head swirled above her, and she kicked, lungs burning, as she tried to reach the surface for air.

She was sure her lungs would burst from the pressure building, and still she kicked harder and harder, hoping the surface was found just above her fingertips.

When she thought she could no longer hold on, the wave subsided, and she found herself once again, standing…toes wiggling in the sand.

Again, she glanced up.  The sun, that had just warmed her skin only moments before was over shadowed by dark clouds that were moving in.

Her eyes perused the horizon.  The clouds moved slowly towards her, ominously warning her. She wanted to run away, but she knew it was futile.  This storm was meant for her, and only her, and it was headed directly for her.

She watched the speed of the clouds moving. She tried to gauge how fast it was approaching, and she was also trying to prepare. She knew there would be no one to help her, she had long stopped expecting to find someone to lean on. She had no choice but to face what was coming, alone.

She could dig her heels in.  She could brace herself as best as possible, and plan for whatever may come…but in the end, it was up to her to decide if she would find the strength to beat this storm.

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I would like to take just a moment and explain this short story. This story has many metaphors, and I hoped they were easily discovered.  The inability to run away.  The waves are problems that we must all face alone on our journey through life.  Often, when we think we have support and help, when we look around, we find that, we are all alone.

This story is not necessarily a story about my hopes and dreams, it is something that I struggle with more and more as time marches on.  I know what is in my future. I know it looks bleak and sometimes terrifying.  I also am fully aware that this journey is mine, and mine alone.

I can only hope to make it through to the other side, without drowning from the sorrow of what life has chosen to throw in my path.  Maybe, although I cannot turn away from my path set before me, or the storm that is clearly coming my way, I can at least prepare for it, brace for it. Really, that is all any of us can do on this journey called “life.”