The Tide

Almost there, I thought.

I hadn’t known where I was going to stop when I started, but now I was here it felt right. Besides, the tide was getting closer; there were other sights and curiosities ahead, but I wasn’t going to beat it there. I stopped, my legs sighing in relief. They had carried me far, further than I thought they would; I was satisfied with their work.

“Well, here we are”, I started, and frowned. There used to be many more with me. I had left many behind me at their own spots, and there were many more in front of me still; most younger, some just more bloody-minded. Everyone’s journey had a different pace, and would stop in different places. For some, that was the point; to see how far you could go.

The younger ones closest to me had stayed behind. “You go on ahead”, I told them, “Thanks for the company.” I gave them each a big hug. “You have your own little ones to be worrying about!”

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Alone; Peace, at last. Earlier times, boisterous with loud voices - my own, and others - had taught me to appreciate the sanctity of silence. There was one I would have shared the view with, but they had found their favourite spot some time ago. We had shared the view a while, but in the end I had felt the call of unexplored lands ahead.

Having chosen my spot, I turned to survey the path I had taken. Far in the distance, great crashing breakers had eradicated all but the most towering of landmarks, experiences that would stand tall forever in my memory. Closer, softly lapping wavelets rippled and swirled, slowly obscuring the details, wiping the wrinkles from the sand; even my most recent footsteps were starting to fade away.

Even obscured by the water, the view was beautiful; the strong, wilful, crashing waves of the distance blending slowly into serene, flowing pools like rippling mirrors, reflecting the sky above. This was definitely the spot. This, for me, was the reason: so that when we stop, we can look back and remember the marvels we have seen, and rejoice in the journey.

My resting place reached, I lay down. I closed my eyes, and listened, as the tide came to meet me, and I slowly dissolved into the sea.