A Morning Walk on a Beach

This is a personal blog much unlike my articles in the past...

The thrill of the first ride on a shiny new bicycle was evident on the little girl’s face. A wee thing she was, bravely pedalling forward in the white sands of Miramar beach this fine morning. I then noticed the younger brother emerge from the foliage on his spanking new two wheeler, an apparition in blue navigating a narrow path, glowing in anticipation, the thrill of the impending ride very real. They raced away, squeals of joy and laughter ringing in my ear and I continued my walk.

Two sticks, some 10 feet apart formed one goal. 30 to 40 yards away was an identical other one. In between were 8 panting men, bathed in sweat, with varying sizes of bellies flapping loudly as they chased a football around. OK, I’m being a bit uncharitable. There was one chap who’d looked after himself well. The other seven though, they kinda resembled me. Loud cheers punctuated the air as a goal was scored! All was fine in the world.  

Right next the makeshift football pitch, the local fishermen were readying their nets, preparing to set sail for the day. The calm seas, light breeze and warm sunshine promised a relatively easy day at the office, and I wished them a full catch of the fruit of the sea. The fish might disagree with my sentiment though!

A few minutes later, as I approached my hotel, I saw an elderly gent slowly and gently walking his aged father down the beach. The warm rays of the sun enveloped them and his affection for his dad was heartwarming. They ambled close to the water, the occasional lap of an advancing wave caressing their bare feet every now and then. I wondered how many months and years more this ritual might continue, thoughts of mortality suddenly flooding in. I gazed out into the waters of the Arabian Sea and took a deep breath or two, calm again.

This morning, the world seemed right. The madness that has hit the country like a tsunami seemed very far away and the natural rhythms of life salved my soul. In 2020, may we all live to appreciate each other, mother nature and the miracle that is our life. I pray for peace and prosperity in our great land.

Season’s greetings, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to all of you!