My dreams and the sea

The sea moves the heart,

inspires the imagination

and brings eternal joy to the soul.

Ever since I could remember, I had always loved the sea. Its immensity and its blue color were like a fascinating spell, something that always attracted me from the moment I opened my eyes to the world. You could say that I was born in this fabulous ocean. My parents, fishermen of this town, a village on the shore of the beach, always lived here and of course, they joined and brought me to the world in this paradise.

I never fully explained my strange attraction and love for the sea. I was so happy there. My childhood was spent between games and happy baths on the beach with the other children of the place. Shano was my best friend and companion. With her, I lived incredible adventures.

We spent our afternoons making sand castles that the water carried away, but we were happily building them. Blessed childhood that forges such beautiful feelings in human beings. The innocence of being happy with so little was the true essence of that time.

I remember my mother taking care of me. Always looking out for me and my closeness to the sea. She, in her fear as a mother, was afraid that I might drown or something like that might happen to me. What she didn't know was that I loved the sea so much, that I felt how the water caressed me beyond my skin.

Something inexplicable, a different but special sensation. My soul rejoiced with just the touch of the water in my fingers those afternoons when I went for a walk along its shore with my dear Shano.

I learned to swim alone. Shano accompanied me in my madness. At first, she was afraid of the water. Then, I taught her to lose her fear and, as we grew, she became an expert swimmer. She learned with me to love the sea and its charms. It's uncertain but unique magic.

We would dive and dive deep, trying to admire what was in that wonderful ocean. Corals, fishes big and small, of all colors never imagined by me. My heart was filled with joy to see so many wonders that nature gives us through that paradise called the sea.

My life was beautiful and I had nothing to complain about. I never wanted to leave my paradise or my beach. Shano had family in the city and suddenly they decided to take her to study there, to see other horizons and of course, that day saddened me too much because, since I could remember, I had grown up next to her and she was my companion in my childhood and teenage adventures.

I remember that day with sadness and a lot of nostalgia. Shano hugged me as if she didn't want to let go of me and I didn't want to let go of her. She was like that sister I never had and who always accompanied me and followed me in my love for the sea. Now I was alone and I felt that part of my soul was leaving with her. She promised not to forget me or our sea adventures. She undoubtedly owned a very special part of my heart and affections.

Meanwhile, amid my sadness for Shano's departure, I began to walk on the beach in the afternoons. Feeling the sea air comforted me and gave other horizons to my thoughts. The sea has always been my most precious companion. I had never found a logical explanation for it, nor did I want to tell the truth.

I simply enjoyed those moments as the best of my life. After mom's warm embrace and her meals, they were my best moments. The most fulfilling moments of my life. I would go to the other side of the cliff and there I could see the majestic immensity of my beloved ocean. Closing my eyes and opening my arms as if receiving its love, breathing the sea air was something too beautiful for me.

That evening, the sunset was especially beautiful. Waves came and went and left their white wake on the shore. The palette of colors that the sunset offered me on this day was something magical and without words to describe it. Every sunset was like plunging into the depths and feeling the caress of the sea air. I enjoyed being there.

Suddenly, as I was watching the sunset and then preparing to go home, I saw her. In a kind of mist and bright light.  Long golden hair the color of honey, skin as white as mother-of-pearl. Her eyes were as blue as the color of my beloved sea. She was an apparition too beautiful to be bewitched instantly. For a moment I thought I was dreaming, but I was not.

She was approaching, coming from the sea and, although I was fascinated, I was frightened and ran away, perhaps with the desire to get closer, but, at the same time, with that human facet of fearing the unknown. That night I could hardly sleep and when I finally did, I dreamed of that beautiful apparition I had seen that afternoon on the cliff.

However, my curiosity was stronger than my prudence and the next day, at sunset, I went to the place again. I sat on the shore, letting the water brush against me. Something magical happened again and she returned. The golden apparition, I called her. That beautiful woman who at this moment I could see floating in the water farther away. I was bewitched and could not stop looking at her. The sea was calling me, claiming my presence.

In the distance, I heard a sound like a chant. Suddenly I remembered the stories of mermaids and their spells. However, that didn't stop me. I got up and slowly walked to the sea, looking for her. She was waiting for me with open arms and I felt an impressive peace as I walked toward her.

I was no longer scared of what awaited me. I felt it was something great and necessary. The sea was my place, my place always since before I opened my eyes to this earthly world. I submerged without fear and a great peace invaded me. I opened my eyes and went deeper and deeper, swimming as if I were a fish, hand in hand with my golden fairy.

It was wonderful to be there, in the deep. But I never knew anything out of the sea, there I stayed, in my place. In what would now be my home. Sea creature, that's what I became. Perhaps my parents will wonder where I will be, but, although I love them and thank them for my life, I no longer want to return. I never really belonged to the land. I want to stay here, dreaming and being happy all alone, here, in my beloved sea.

A little sand between the fingers,

always takes away the ills.