by Shyam Gokarn

Created on: January 17, 2010

Which is a better summer vacation spot: The beach or the mountains?

Wellington City’s Petone beach has a unique talisman, a magical strength that drives all my daily fatigues into oblivion. It has the touch of class and strength to decimate my worries and bring back the glorious moment of oneness with nature.  I follow the trails of my thoughts as long as I can, to take me away from the state of gloom and anxiety.

Each one of us has a dream place to escape and stay away from all the worries of life. This particular spot can soothe all our problems and sadness in times of stress. For me, the beach is the place to fall on, to obtain peace of mind and an ultimate cure to all my problems. All of my obligations of life are suddenly erased, even at the thought of this sea view. 

The dream place reminds me of white sand surrounding me to enliven my imaginations to a greater height.  The particles make its escape underneath my feet with its hot and soft touch. The ever floating and moving big white and grey clouds, a mass of condensed watery vapor in the atmosphere seeks its quiet rout through the blue sky.

The soothing sweet breeze and aroma of salt brings freshness in the air. The blue waves move to and fro in swaying motion to greet each other, arching and breaking on the shore. We still revel in the sound of the wave as if it brings musical notes in the quiet atmosphere of surroundings.

The waves come crashing down with fury on the shore drenching our feet with its coolness and the water particles get merged in the sand particles magically disappearing into earth. The cool breeze comes kissing our ears as if it intends to reveal a long lasting secret. In this scenic beauty, the crawling insects play hide and seek on sand, suddenly escape and vanish without a trace.

The spot on the beach, particularly in summer vacation, where I feel young, alive, safe and content. The extreme beauty appears when the darkness falls. The sun takes its vanishing route beyond the horizon bringing radiance in the surrounding sky that brings the artistry and proficiency of all the living artists together.

Then, a few small boats wondering in the mystery of the sea make their way towards the shore in the fading light. In this glory, a cool breeze, once in a while pass by brushing our skin to ease away the sun’s intense heat for a brief moment.

Then I run, jumping and trotting along the shore with an innocence of a child, throwing and tossing water into air all around me, capturing attention of onlookers.

It makes me laugh loudly, shout or even dream about what my life is holding for me, feeling as if I will live forever, never having to worry about pain or fatigue at anytime.

This moment of glory on the beach brings strength in me with a whisper to say, this is the way to live.

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