An Ocean Child
Lit up’s May prompt-Nostalgia
He couldn’t believe his eyes. He was finally here. The stunning view left Shahmeer breathless. Thick gray clouds covered the entire sky. He watched the beautiful ocean in front of him with its gushing waves dousing the shore. He could see Churna Island in the distance. This was his birthday surprise. His friends had been planning this for weeks.
While they were waiting for their motorboat to be launched, Shahmeer couldn’t contain his excitement. He ran past his friends, down the shore to the point where the waves were crashing. He soaked his feet into the cold water, smiling from ear to ear as if he had done something miraculous.
‘Ajain, Kashti tayar hai’ (come on, the boat is ready) yelled the fisherman.
They were heading towards Churna island, a diving, and snorkeling point. Shahmeer was the first to mount the boat. He sat in the middle wearing a life-jacket.
It took an hour for them to reach Churna. Shahmeer could see dozens of motorboats anchored near the island. Without waiting for his boat to be anchored he jumped into the ocean. He was too enthusiastic to wait. He swam near the island which had a steep cliff and a rocky interface. A rope was tied at one side of the island to help the divers with the difficult climb. Shahmeer climbed the island hastily cutting his feet at the sharp edges.
He didn’t care about the injuries, diving from the top was all he had in his mind. He now stood at the edge of the island from where he could see the deep blue water beneath. Taking a deep breath he jumped. He was a child again. His mind was flooded with memories of his childhood. He had done this before, not here, not at this beach bit this wasn’t new. He could see the sandcastles he used to make, the seashell hunts, the fishing trips, the picnics all flashing before his eyes.
His love for the ocean had never died but somewhere he got so lost in his life that he forgot about it. Lost in familiarity he came back to his senses when he hit the water. As he swam up to breathe he knew it was nostalgia playing tricks on him.
