Let the waves carry us

center island, kayaking
22°26’21.7″N 114°13’21.6″E
kayaking in hong kong
22°26’05.9″N 114°14’10.1″E

The afternoon sun warms my face. The sunlight is glistening on the surface of the water, dancing on the waves. We have left the little deserted island where we spent the day in bliss and are now on the open water. We paddle synchronically, the paddles making a faint splash when breaking through the surface. They carry up little droplets of saltwater, sunshine catching them against the blue sky. Suddenly we stop, and the silence is deafening. 

Never have I heard such quietness in the usual hustle of Hong Kong. The water is still, gentle waves rocking our kayak, nothing else. No people, no boats, just stillness. The water is calm, it resembles velour creasing in a breeze. The light midnight blue of the ocean is velvety, with no unevenness. Silk. I immerse my hand in the water, and it is cool and soft. 

Under the bright but setting sun are mountain silhouettes, grey and majestic. The sky is rose and dusty, and it brings forth a haze. 

I am tranquil, peaceful. The sensation floating through my body is wonderful. Neither of us talk. We are simply soaking up this breathtaking moment. “I’m just here,” she says. And I know, in this instant, that I am feeling complete and sincere happiness. Being on the immense ocean, however small it seems right now, with the person I hold so dear. This is true happiness. 

It is an intoxicating feeling, and all I want is to stop time and live in this sensation. So serene, so mindful, so full of life and enjoyment.

But a boat coming towards us tears me out of my trance, and suddenly, the undisturbed silence is gone, but the peace stays with us. We are moving, streamlined, smoothly. We are not breaking the waves but merely sweeping alongside. We are two people, two paddles, but one boat, one ocean. An occasional “Left, right, left” directs us, but we know each other, the movements are the same. It is a race against time. Will we make it past before the boat cuts through the water? We decide to stop and wait for the waves following in the wake of the boat, and another pause to take in the scenery overwhelms us. 

A laugh escapes our otherwise silent lips, and I am sure we both think about our silly attempt to speed the boat. It passes by, and we are again rowing, but incoming waves are carrying us, letting us float towards the beach. The waves are slowly subsiding, and it feels like we are flying, the paddles moving effortlessly through the water. 

A white bird ceremoniously flies by, just above the sea, the body mirroring in the crystal clear water. 

Talk and laughter blow by the wind from the beach, and we both know the island is now a memory, reality waiting on the shore. Despite this realisation, when we pull the kayak out of the water, I am at ease, I am at peace.

The sand sticks to my wet feet, but I don’t care. All I think about is the sweet memory forming in my head, the incredible person at my side. 

I guess the moral of this story is not to tell you about my dreamlike day, the adventure we were on. Rather, it is a cry to the world to let the waves carry us. Not only when being at the vast and neverending sea but in life. We are so focused on paddling through waves as high as mountains, sailing against the wind, and never letting anything or anybody help us. I think, sometimes, we will be better off by letting go of our persistent control. Letting others carry us for a bit. The unsteady and unpredictable waves, wind, and weather of our lives are not only here to annoy and challenge us but are occasionally here with a message. 

So maybe we better listen more attentively and let the waves carry us. Just like we did today. Just once in a while.

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4 responses

  1. borang joktang Avatar
    borang joktang

    love this so much <33

    1. Thank you so much!

  2. Velma Avatar
    Velma

    Beautiful work Sara! Keep it up, this is a great talent of yours!

    1. Thank you so much! It means a lot <3

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