mine. Every day the sea surprised me: I saw bright seastars, I admired the sparkle of wet pebbles, I enjoyed warm sulphurous waters and cold currents, I climbed on rugged cliffs with bare feet, I got stung by both jellyfishes and sea urchins, I discovered sea caves and sea bottoms of quartz sand.
The sea in the morning was invigorating and refreshing, the sea in the evening relaxing and meditative. I was used to swimming through the golden line of the sun at the end of the day, observing the glittering shades of the water and the sea becoming dark. In the night the Aegean was concealed and fascinating: framed by tamarisks and covered by a roof of stars.
Life was simple, but its simplicity was the richest of gifts. "No jewel is more precious, than a salted droplet on a tanned skin," my father would say. A simple droplet on our skin was a mystery revealed: one single diamond, a promise of eternal love. Feeling at one with nature and earth, we found in ourselves a pristine heart.
Now the years have gone by. As I prepare to leave the ferry and visit the green Croatian islands, old memories of mine emerge from the past. My eyes are feasting on that amazing view.
My love is new. It is a passion never soothed, a sincere and thankful feeling: every time I contemplate the sea, I'm in harmony. Staring at the horizon or cradled by the waves, I'm nothing more than a seagull, a shell, a fish. The sea is a womb, a familiar and reassuring place. The sun bleaches my hair, the water strengthens my skin and a perfume of maritime pines inebriates my nostrils. The life I've always loved shows itself in intimate sensations. A sea of memories is calling me back, a sea of reality is preparing to show its wonders. Like a trustworthy lover, I won't restrain.
I am alone on the dock, but my soul is in a good company. On this blinding day of summer, I can still dive in. Once again I am able to taste the salty water on my lips, to ruffle my hair in a wave, to find reassurance and peace at the sound of the sea. A genuine feeling resurfaces with untamed strength, time and again, renewed.
Author Bio: I am a freeelancer writer and I live in Padova, Italy. I am a windsurfer, a scuba diver, an avid reader and a rather imaginative and creative woman. My stories were published by the Italian edition of Christophorus, by Gonomad.com and by a local newspaper.
Follow my blog: shapeofclouds.wordpress.com
"No jewel is more precious than a salted droplet
on a tanned skin"
May 2017 - Stories from the Sea
SEVENSEAS - 93