Long ago there was a time when I thought that all cities and towns in the world were surrounded by the sea. I believed that everyone had a beach that they belonged to. The sea is an important part of me, I close my eyes and it’s there, I hear the booming of the waves and feel the traveled breeze of the oceans. I sense the salty water that washes your soul, I miss the infinite horizontal line and the longing for places I have never been. I haven’t left the sea; I carry it inside me. The passion of tormented waters and unknown depths. The challenging and cold water of the Atlantic Ocean, and the warmth and immense beauty of the Guanabara bay – have never left me! I stand like the mountains of Rio de Janeiro, protecting my beloved sea. But it bashes and dashes, slowly I become sand, and it is easy to fall through between fingers. So, I close my eyes and swim, and swim.
I 🧡 this, Marcela! The line: ‘I haven’t left the sea; I carry it inside me,’ is especially gorgeous and resonated with me. I’m so jealous of your upbringing, surrounded by the ocean. 🌊
I also 🧡 to swim outside and have being doing so every day for a week now, the pool routine aids my everything. At this moment, I can’t quite put into words just how good it feels – as you have done here so eloquently. So, I’ll take your advice and continue to ‘close my eyes and swim, and swim.’ 🏊🏾
I hope we are soon reunited with the sea. 🧜🏾♀️
Thank you, Nicola 💛💛!
I like this piece Marcela. It reminded me of my home and inspired me to write a memoir piece about an event from twenty-five years ago! I too feel I haven’t left the sea even though I live in London; it pulls you back like the changing of the tides.
Thank you, Tobias. I can’t wait to read your memoir.
As a boy growing up in Brighton, when I travel to landlocked places, I can’t help but get irritated by the fact I can never orientate myself around. I don’t know how people do it.
So I really related to the point you make about the comfort of ‘the horizontal line’!
Thanks for writing this!
Thank you 🌊🌊.
I loved reading this Marcela. The bit at the beginning where you said that you believed that everyone had a beach they belonged to reminded me of my youth, growing up in Spain, where everyone seemed to have their ‘pueblo’ which they belonged to – the village their parents/grandparents originally came from. I remember thinking that I was the only one without a pueblo (though my friend invited me each year to his, so I adopted his). It’s a beautiful idea, that the beach owns us, that we belong to it.
Thank you, I couldn’t even imagine living in a place without a beach!
I would love to read more about your experience in Spain – potentially a very interesting memoir to write…