On the shore of my life…

On the shore of my life
when time stood still,
like a toddler crying
for mom in the next room,
I thought…
that the wave would never return.
That wave which had receded
was gone forever, my mind declared.
Those moments of misery,
so long and unending they seemed.
Indeed, mere dots in the expanse of eternity.
Still, universal truths shatter
in the universe of one’s thoughts.
Then, one day, ten years ago,
that wave washed again on my shore.
A miracle of life
that love’s magic wand whisks at will.

Roared you did
and pulled me into the fountain of the future.
I let go of all that was holding me back
and rushed into your arms.
Arms, that were not merely going to protect me
but push me, propel me and play with me.
A ripple in my timeline
that changed the course of my footsteps.

Walked we did
through ragged rocks
of unshared memories of the past
through burning beds
of misunderstandings and misjudgments
through grassy fields
of interests alike, to delve into minds and places
through lush jungles
of dreams different, to reflect our best to the world
Through it all,
remembering to hold hands,
in the sun and rain of pain and pleasure.

Was it all a walk in the woods
with a breeze strolling by to befriend?
Nay! rather, a scuba dive into the deep.
Learning to breathe different.
Learning to communicate simply.
Just a few signs.
As if my life depended on that.
‘I’m okay’
‘I’m going down’
‘I’m going up.’
‘Stop.’
Not chatting away ceaselessly
without a break in breath.
Just a focus on being,
breathing in and breathing out.
Gently.
And… what wonders have come my way
when I learnt that I could live a little different.

Graceful fish schools of serendipitous success
Colourful corals of friends and fun
Plentiful source of air in a tank of identity,
that I’m free to refill and redefine.
Learning to be with you,
I found myself
and found myself in a beautiful world.

And now,
when time has speed danced away,
I look back on those days of the past
and remember that wave
which seemed like it would never return.

Not a moment goes by
when I’m not thankful
that I did wait on that shore,
with my flame fluttering
in the fiery wind,
for you to return.

And, you did.
Returned and rekindled the fire
that I now see dancing in these eyes before me,
breathing in the scent of love,
listening to its echo in the heartbeat within,
as they sit by the campfire on the shore,
listening to this song of long ago.