Sand-hustler

Once upon a time, there was a stately sandcastle on a beach. In the sandcastle, there lived a princess who longed to swim in the ocean. Every day, she woke up and watched the sunrise. The ocean waves taunted her. Every evening, she would sit and watch the sunset. The ocean waves still taunted her. One day, in frustration, she cried out to no one in particular, “I’d give anything for just one swim in the ocean!”

Within a split second, a wave held still as it appeared like a face with a furrowed brow. The wave responded to her by asking a question, “Ah, but do you know how many princesses and princes have said the same thing you said?”

She stood, shocked in her sandals in her sandcastle, not sure what to say. She finally mustered up some courage and answered with, “I thought that I was the only sand princess on the sandy shore, who lives in a sandcastle.”

“Indeed, you are now. But before you, there were others who said that they would give anything for just one swim in the ocean. Would you give up watching the sunrises in the morning?”

“Yes, I’ve seen so many already.”

“Would you give up watching the sunsets in the evening?”

“Yes, I’ve seen so many already.”

“Would you give up your own sandcastle that you live in?”

“Yes, I’ve lived here long enough.”

“Would you even give up your own life?”

She hesitated for a moment, thinking hard. “Yes. I don’t think I’ve fully lived until I swim in the ocean.”

Without further conversation, the wave with the face enveloped the sand princess and her sandcastle like he had done with all the other sand princesses and princes over the years with their sandcastles. Away she swam, melting into the ocean, never to be seen again. Indeed, now she had fully lived.