My Paddle into the Sea’s Mysteries

Sometimes, words are not enough to explain certain moments. You feel scared that if you use words, you might strip them of their magic. That’s why, at certain moments, I never care to share. I keep it locked deep down in my heart.

I’m an absolute beach lover. The gentle ripples of a water body calm me in ways I can’t explain. I don’t even need to step into the water. Just sitting a short distance away, watching its vastness, is enough.

Like a selfish woman, I try to savor all the peace from the sea.

I close my eyes sinking into deep meditation, letting the symphony of water guide me through my inner world. I can feel my ears dancing to the rhythm of the sea, soothing my inner soul.

At other times, I shut down all my other senses and let my eyes wide open. I get lost in the endless blue stretching before me, watching the birds dip their heads into the water as if whispering secrets to the sea, the occasional fish bouncing above the surface in a joyful leap.

I always thought the sea had it all - the beauty, the power, the poise - a queen reigning over the Earth. Until one day, I paddled alone into its depths.

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The water was crystal clear. Even when the sun was fading, stunning coral architecture beneath was visible.

I took my paddle board and started paddling toward the infinite aura of the ocean. My instructor’s words echoed as I kayaked out: “Ana, look for the red flags. That’s where you stop and return. Beyond that, the water is deeper and dangerous”.

The sky was red as the sun was signing off after today’s duty. I kept paddling, mesmerised by the red art in the sky and its shimmering reflection on the water below. It was breathtaking.

The sea was remarkably calm, as if weaving a secret path just for me.

Lost in the beauty, reality hit me.

I did not check for the flags. Or maybe the red sky hid them from me. I quickly stopped paddling and turned around.

I gasped.

The shore was nothing but a thin pencil line in the distance. My stomach clenched. I had gone too far.

I checked around. No one was near me.

A chilling sensation passed through my spine. Darkness crept into my eyes. My body felt weak, frozen in place. I tried to move my hands, but they refused to obey. With shivers, I sat there, in the middle of nowhere, just me and my kayak.

I covered my face with my palms, trying to revive myself. I had to regain my strength and paddle back.

Otherwise

I looked ahead.

A golden light shimmered on the water.

Already drained with emotion, I struggled to comprehend what I was seeing.

I looked up at the sky.

My breath caught. The red sky was gone. The clouds had vanished.

A divine golden color illuminated the sky. The sea, once blue, now looked like it had a veil of snow blanket all over it.

I didn’t know what to believe. The farther I looked, the more I lost track of where the sea ended and the sky began.

A diamond-like dazzling light hurt my eyes. I narrowed my eyes for a better view. All I could see was a beaming light too bright for my eyes radiating in my direction.

I felt my hands moving again. I started paddling - my curiosity had taken me over. I wanted to see what it was.

Water hurridely splashed on either side as I made my way. The closer I got, the brighter the light became.

I wanted to touch it.

As I got closer I pressed my eyes shut to protect it. I let go of my paddles and extended my arms to touch it. I could feel it in my hands. A divine feel.

“Ana…..Ana!!!!”

A voice startled me. I jolted upright in my kayak.

The next thing I knew, I was underwater.

I panicked - I struggled to swim.

I couldn’t breathe or see anything.

I looked up, searching for the golden light.

But it was gone.

Everything’s pitch dark.

I tried to swim again. I failed.

Finally I let go of myself.

I closed my eyes..

I never felt this peaceful.

---

Warmth tickled my face. A tingling sensation crawled over my hand. Something pricked my skin.

I stirred.

“Ana, darling.”

A familiar voice.

“…Mom?” I opened my eyes, puzzled.

She sat beside me, a bottle of IV fluid hanging beside her.

“Mom, what happened to me?” I started to freak out. The last thing I remember was falling to the water.

“Sh..sh..don’t stress Ana. The doctor will be here any moment. I just alerted them that you are awake.”

Moments later, the door opened. A doctor and a nurse walked in.

“Hey Ana, good to see you awake. How are you feeling now?” The doctor asked with a cheerful tone.

“I feel good..I think. But I can’t remember how I got here. I’m very confused. Sorry.”

The doctor smiled. “Don’t worry. You were brought here by the lifeguards. Yesterday they found you passed out in your kayak. You were severely dehydrated and you were flowing aimlessly toward the outer sea.”

“I think..I think I might have missed the flags,” I said partially embarrassed.

“It happens. Luckily you were not out there in the noon. The heat could have made things even worse.”

I hesitated. “Doctor… before I passed out, I saw something. A light. It was golden, blinding.. It wasn’t the sun, but it felt…”

I trailed off, unsure how to explain.

The doctor exchanged a glance with my mom.

“Oh, darling,” Mom said gently, stroking my hair. “You were out there for a long time. You must have dreamt it.”

“No, Mom.” I shook my head. “I saw it. I felt it.”

My mom looked at me with a worried smile.

“Apart from the dehydration, all the test results came out fine. You should be all well by tomorrow. If you feel any discomfort, Nurse Joanna will be in the Nurses Station. You can just press this button.” he said pointing to a red button on the bed wall.

“Thank you, doctor,” I said nodding.

As the doctor left, my mom pulled a chair and sat closer to me.

“I was so worried, Ana,” she whispered.

“I’m sorry Mum. I didn’t realize I went too far.” I said pulling a blanket over me.

“You’re with me now. That’s all that matters.” She gently kissed my forehead.

I slowly closed my eyes.

Questions started to creep into my mind.

Was it all a dream? The golden sky..the shimmering light..

As I tried to gather my thoughts, once again I slipped into darkness, but this time, with a divine feeling all over me.

And that feeling, somehow, felt so real like - the queen was watching over me.

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Thanks for reading my article! Loved it? Buy me a coffee - your support (and a jolt of caffeine) keeps me scribbling more for you. Thanks again! Love Ana.