Have you ever stood by the seashore in a moonless night? Listening to the roaring of the wind, and the ceaseless assault of the indefatigable waves against the damp sand and small rocks under your bare feet… Feeling the sting of the night chill and yet unwilling to abandon that enchanting scene to the possible warmth of a cabin bathed in a dim light, with a cup of hot coffee and a piece of captivating  music? As you stand there, staring at the endless darkness, you cannot distinguish the boundaries between the sea and the sky. They both blend into one sheet of blackness that is in effect, the only glimpse of eternity available to the human  senses…

I did that once. I gave my back to the world, and looked into forever. Feeling the cold sea water at my feet, and listening to the overpowering song of the wind and the tumultuous lapping of the waves, I could not help but imagine that I am like a space traveler. The vast black void surrounding me filled me with awe. The shadows of a million different beings suddenly seemed to be coming forth around me. Some friendly beloved faces and some unwelcome antagonists. The wonderful thing about this scene is that you can cast your own characters, create your own dialogue and make up your own ending. Oh, but wait a minute. There is no possible ending. You cannot see any beginning, so how can there be an ending? As I sat down there on the wet sand, I sank deeper and deeper into the enthralling melody of the wind and the sea. It felt like a dream. I did not want to wake up. Little monsters kept tickling my toes and then running away. I could not see them, but I enjoyed the game. So many beautiful smiling faces of Saints, angels and friends filled my heart with inexplicable ecstasy… the kind you want to go on and on endlessly…

Yet, Before I know it, dawn was creeping in. The crimson rays of the sun were fighting their way through the majestic curtains of the night. I got ready to stand up and leave. There they were next to my feet… Numerous seashells were playfully dancing with the waves. Big and small, smashed or whole, they all came after a long journey through the abyss, to rest at last at a shore where they have never been before. The beautiful apparitions with whom I spent the night, already departed. A few sea gulls flew in and started their morning ritual dances. I stooped down to pick a seashell. Small and cold to the touch, oh little thing did you finally reach home?

Previously published online and in my book.