This Sea Girl

I close my eyes for a second, closing my ears to the continuous flow of Saturday's night traffic outside, closing my nostrils to the myriad of urban stenches that float in through my room's window...

The voice of seagulls once again fill my universe.. The majestic roar of the sea waves crashes suddenly into my soul again, and I greet its familiarity eagerly as a long lost friend. The gentle sea breeze gently grazes my cheek and the air around me is once again rich with the smell of the salty sea.....

I am once again transported back to my safe heaven of youth. I feel free once more. I am back walking along the beach in the evening saying my goodbye for the day to the setting sun. Evening walks on the beach had always been a ritual for me during those days. I was always accompanied by my father or by my best friend.
"Look at that magnificent ship," my dad will point out.

Somedays my best friend and I will walk down to the harbour to watch the many boats that come to dock. My dad will warn me to keep a certain distance from the bustling harbour and not to go too near this busy place.

Other days I will walk along the rickety planks of the old jetty to catch a glimpse of the sea creatures in the shallow waters there.

I open my eyes again. I am once again back in reality, the life of my youth long past but never forgotten. The suffocating and messy world of the present is all that fills my surroundings right now and I feel trapped once again, my senses being numbed by apathy...