The Journey...

The Journey

 

The last words I heard were "Good luck" I was determined; I would win the surfing contest.  I was now in the open water, ready to take on this giant wave as it rushed towards me, I began to hear people screaming, voices yelling, "Breezy" "breezy"...the voices got quieter, as I realized I was sinking, falling, into the open water, drowning now, hoping someone would come for me, I was scared.. And when I finally awoke in an empty room, staring at empty walls, I saw his face, those deep blue eyes, things suddenly felt familiar. "I'm Darius" he said. "I'm Breezy" I replied. There was something about that day, something special, sure I hadn't won, but I met someone that would help me.  From that day I felt scared of the water, I wasn't ready to get hurt again, but there was something about surfing, the sweet, salty air, and the warm, cool water, something that grew on me. Surfing was a huge part of who I was, and letting it go completely was something I was not ready to do. But when I saw him again a few weeks later along the beach, my feelings about surfing, about life, soon became clear to me. "You don't want a completely perfect shell" Darius had said. "And why is that?" I replied, as I sat along the wet sand in search. "A perfect shell doesn't show much character. A perfect shell is just perfect." "Here, try this one" He said, as placed a beautiful but rough shell in my hand. "It's rough, but not too rough, it shows strength, and courage, but it is elegant in its unique and imperfect way." He said to me, as I looked into those once familiar blue eyes, trying to understand exactly what he meant. "Wow, a shell like that says so much?" I asked him.

"What I'm trying to say is don't be so afraid, things happen and you have to be willing to try again, face your fears no matter how hard they may be"  "I'm just not so sure I can take another fall like that, I not only disappointed everyone in the crowds, but I disappointed myself, I'm not sure I really want to do that again, although there is something about surfing that is pulling me in, reeling me closer into the water, and as my mind tries to pull back, my heart is pulling me closer." I explained.

"Then maybe, you should move towards your heart, go towards what you really want to do. Here open up your hands, and close your eyes I have something for you" Darius said, as he placed something smooth, but rough.into my hands. I opened up my eyes to see a small, silver key hanging from a chain; I twirled it through the palm of my hand. "My father gave me that key once, the day I entered a surfing contest, confident, and proud, not expecting the fall, but he reminded me to never give up. He said it was a key to an open door, a new beginning, a chance to start over, I think you should have it, it helped me."

 "Thank you" I said .He then gently took it from my hands and slid it over my neck where it rested just above my heart, "I will cherish it forever." I said to him. And as we walked side by side as the sun began to set I asked him a question that had been on my mind for sometime. "Are you the one that saved me when I began to drown?" I asked.

"Yes" He replied, as we held each others gaze, I noticed how tan he was, and his dark brown hair, but what stood out to me the most was his beautiful blue eyes. "Thank you" I said, for everything.

"No problem" He said, and we continued to walk for a very long time, into the evening sun, with the sweet, salty, fresh air.