Being at the End of Our Lands
A poetic sketch drawn from the sea.
This year, I found myself returning to the place where I remembered myself.
It was at the same time as last year. I was with my family on our new year’s vacation to the suburbs of the city. The sea greets us along the way to the right of my car window, and to the left, greeneries that looks like it came out of a mooi indie painting meets us at every turn. It was a truly spectacular atmosphere for a city person such as myself.
We were staying at a place with a private beach. It was a mediocre beach, and we visited for the sake of visiting a beach. At the edge of the privately owned beach stood a small dock that looks like it does not belong. The dock was a plank of wood painted white, made standing above the waters with similar wooden pillars injected into the earth. The unsecured dock made me feel a little frightened to cross over to at first, but with the little bravery I had and a short fence down to it (which was, at that moment, my lifeline), I successfully went down to the dock.
Overwhelmed by my success, I decided to stay there for a while. I took off my sandals and sat at the edge of the dock. There I was, sitting legs down, the ocean before me vast and undeniably deep. One little push and I would probably lose my life in the vastness and depth of the waters. This feeling of helplessness and the thought of not being in control are very foreign and uncomfortable to me.
Living in a big city has fooled me into thinking that I am in control of the world. Just look at the everyday modern life: everyday we come across things that comply to us. We drive cars that move at the push of a pedal. We destroyed trees and grasses to build structures of our designs. The world is designed to let men feel in control. Humans subdued the Earth, and we made inventions which purpose is to serve us. We anoint ourselves the masters of the Earth. But have we ever thought that this all is just an illusion, something we invented to make ourselves feel better? And at the end of the day, even in this well designed world, we are only the masters of our own world.
Nature has been on Earth for so long, and all these times she has always welcomed us to live with her. But somehow along the way we declined her warm welcome, conquered and built upon her an empire of mechanical servants and call it our home. Along the way, we have forgotten our long lost companion. But being at the end of our land, my eyes were opened once again.
Being at the end of her land made me feel small — but not negatively. At that moment, I felt like a small part of something big and major. I felt at home. And most importantly, I became one with the sea. Two natural beings coexisting with each other, neither negating the existence of the other. It somehow feels just right, like it’s somehow finally right. At that moment, I thought to myself, ‘This is the way it should be.’
Being at the end of our lands, I am once more reminded of my long lost companion. She will be here to help me achieve my purpose, and I will be there to help her achieve hers.
As I drove back home to the city, I am reminded of a fact I have forgotten for the entire year: that I am one essential part of this vast and beautiful Earth, and that fact alone is something to be glorified and grateful for. I am grateful to nature and will learn to not take her for granted, and of course, grateful to the Creator who still gives me the opportunity to do so.
