Finding Inner Peace

As the first light of day broke through the horizon, I felt an irresistible urge to seek solace by the water. The cool morning air kissed my skin as I sprinted towards the shoreline, my heart racing with anticipation. Once there, I peeled off my clothes, one by one, casting aside the layers that shielded me from the world. I stood at the water’s edge, the tips of my toes sinking into the damp sand, and gazed out into the endless expanse before me. For a moment, time stood still, and I found solace in the soothing embrace of silence.

I inhaled deeply, my lungs filling with the fresh air that seemed to carry the whispers of my past. Memories of living in a constant state of reckless abandon weighed heavily on my soul, a reminder of the person I once was. My eyes fell upon a stick floating down the river, its journey uncertain and unpredictable. It struck a chord within me, as I saw my own life reflected in its path.

I was the one who left, despite the warnings from those I held dear that life would beat me down. Much like the stick, my life had been marked by turbulence, my spirit colliding with the metaphorical rocks that lined my path. There were moments when I soared, buoyed by the currents of hope and happiness, only to be plunged back into the depths of despair. But I clung to the belief that, one day, I would find my way to the vast ocean of inner peace and enlightenment.

The choice to leave was not an easy one, but it was mine alone to make. I watched as everyone I knew chose to stay, tethered to the familiar and unwilling to risk the unknown. The journey was anything but smooth; I was pushed to my breaking point time and time again. My body bore the scars of the years that had taken their toll on me, but I refused to let them define me.

As I now stood at the edge of the water, the warmth of the rising sun bathing my skin in a golden glow, I felt a sense of peace washing over me. I had found the inner tranquility and greater understanding I had been seeking for so long. My heart swelled with gratitude for the resilience that had carried me through the darkest moments, and for the wisdom that had blossomed from within.

In the end, I was like that stick in the river—battered, bruised, and worn—but I had not broken. And as I embraced the beauty of the journey, I knew that I had found my ocean.

August 6, 2022