The Refuge

The wind blows gusts beckoning me to the sea; much as, a soprano aria seeps into the psyches of her audiences, hypnotizing their wills to achieve her own ends. The waves pirouette along the shore, sculpting once singular granules into the majestic lyrics composed by Neptune himself. Haunting curves and swirls possess the secrets of lifetimes, lives deep within the ocean lullabies punctuated by the sea's pearlescent gems. Sparkling glints provide evidence of the majestic world deep within the aquatic mists. A world so mysterious that few humans will ever venture to the bottom of its dark realms. Fewer still will return to share the healing wonders encountered in this Pandora's Box of intrigue. This is the land untouched by the evils of humankind. It is a land that welcomes the purest of hearts to sit in peace upon its floor, becoming one with The Creator. The ocean offers an eternal embrace, one given freely without the need for request. Its hold provides solace to the tattered, allowing wounds and spirits to heal within the safety of its surroundings.

Sea creatures pass by as I sit silently mesmerized by the gentle, calmness the world above does not possess. Within these depths greed and envy do not exist. Sin has no place in this soothing haven. The depredations of war and marked territories do not touch the occupants of this incredible land. The sea belongs to all, even an intruder such as myself calmly observing this enticing land. I pose no threat to anyone here. As if the creatures sense this, they proceed on their journeys barely giving me a second glance.

An immense, ancient tortoise swims lazily by, following a school of small fish. His back flipper grazes and tickles my knee. Passing out my hand, I gently trace a long marking on his shell. It's armor bares the scars of travels to far distant lands during its long, active life. Nonetheless, he always returns home. It has been pronounced that sea turtles are never lost, but instead have inner guides to lead them home.

This I envy. I do not have a home. I have searched for decades, in vain. Perhaps the sea is my abode. Within the sea, those humans who call themselves my family and fair weather friends cannot find me and can no longer harm me. In these depths I have nothing they can demand from me. Sitting along the sandy floor surrounded by the armor of the sea I am no one's mother, no one's daughter, no one's wife, no one's sister, no one's disappointment. I can perform no more damage. I can fail, no one else. I no longer have to conceal my own pain for fear of what it might do to another. The sea accepts my broken heart and spirit, my depression and wish to dissolve within its shadowy depths. The sea does not judge. The sea does not expect what I can no longer contribute. The sea accepts me as I am. A sacrifice of the land who has ultimately found my way home.