A Journey To Reach Peace, Serenity, Contentment.

Peace. Serenity. Contentment. A mixture of all of these creates the unmatched feeling that overwhelms me when I’m at the beach, watching the constant ebb of the waves.
It’s only me on the beach, allowing me to enjoy the sunset, undisturbed. The sun, a fiery orb, looks like it’s gradually receding into the waters below. The sky consists of an assortment of shades, a blend of reds, oranges and yellows. The waters below mirror this effect. The waves are tinted vermilion, with underlying streaks of blue that clash with it. The sand below my feet is the same color, making me feel like a firewalker – daring and bold. The contrast created between the dark waters and the luminous sky makes the horizon look like a meeting of two worlds – the known and the unknown. It’s breathtakingly beautiful, and I’m speechless as I stand before this magnificent sight.
Nothing disturbs me as I slowly sit down on the sand. All I can hear is the sound of the waves as they crash against the shore, and seagulls, which I cannot see, squawk in the distance. The wind whispers in my ear as it plays with my hair, as if it is telling me it’s deepest, darkest secrets. It is all so pure and cleansing, so much so that I feel intrusive when I scratch my foot – the sound seems loud and resounding.
The fishy smell is oddly comforting. It smells warm and salty, as I breathe in the cold, salty. The smell is chaste and unpolluted, a welcome change from the smog that envelops me in the city. It is the smell of freedom, and it makes me want to get up and run along the shore, which is exactly what I do.
As I run, the wind whips my face, blowing my hair back. The salty air makes my eyes water and my feet tingle. The sand is soft beneath my feet, as I run close to the ocean, dodging the waves that try to push me over. I almost fall – the water makes me slip, and I stumble clumsily. My arms are thrown apart, grasping the empty air. I stop, breathless, and feel the stickiness settling on my skin, as I walk towards the ocean to wash my feet.
I soak my feet, and wash my face – which is a big mistake. The saline water stings my eyes, making them burn, and goes into my mouth. It tastes salty and dirty – quite different from how it looks – and I spit it out. I raise my scarf to wipe my mouth, and get sand in my mouth. My idiocy annoys me as I spit out the rough, grainy sand. It tastes of nothing at all – it’s not salty or sweet, just dry. I wipe my mouth and sit back down, feeling stupid.
All of that is forgotten when I look out into the horizon again. Without me noticing, the sun has almost set. The sky is more purple than red now, highlighting the transition from day to night. I lean back and stare at the sky, noticing the different hues. I breathe in deeply as I lie down, my eyes shutting involuntarily for a while than I slowly woke up and realise that it was just a dream.