THE DANCING ANEMONE

Summer out of the Blue. 

A little edit a representation of North and South, cold and warm, ocean and earth polar opposites in balance. 

A overlapping sequence of free diving footage from the cold shores of the Atlantic Ocean in South Africa (southern hemisphere) and a sunset train ride in the warm Dutch summers (northern hemisphere). Two places ocean and earth in the world’s opposites that have a special place in my heart. 

I went skinny dipping today. 

The sky a sad grey. 

The flourishing spring trees eaten, covered by tick mist. 

The sea wild, of which, the rumbling sound was overpowered by the chanting of the blowing wind. 

The sand sliding like a snake over the deserted beach. 

I slowly slip out of my clothes, dropping them at my feet on the ground, I strip. 

The cold sea wind embracing my bare body straight away. 

I walked towards the wild waves

With decisive steps, they were calling me. 

As my toes first touched the ice cold water, I briefly hesitated

Slowing down. Breath in, breath out. 

Diving into the shallows of the waves, I let the salt water stroke over my naked skin, carry me, support me. 

Washing 

Releasing

Purifying 

Walking back to my little pile of belongings 

the wind now pungent as the sand tickles my feet

I felt the seagulls looking at me, as if I was crazy. I don’t blame them. 

Yet, I felt so incredibly Alive. 

Something different, out of the ordinary routine, something new, exciting and refreshing. 

Pure. 

Thank you mother Ocean.  For all, for everything. 

Not only for being essence of life. 

Providing oxygen for us to breathe, affecting the climate for us to feel and shape, forge the earth for us to live on. 

Without, we wouldn’t be here at all  or would be inhabiting a much different place as the Earth that we call home today. 

We forget to stand still and reflect upon and appreciate what you provide us with. 

Thank you mother Ocean. 

  You have so far along the journey, and still are, teaching me so much every time I find myself absorbed within you. 

You taught me, how to follow and adapt to the flow of my surrounding environments. 

You helped me release, all my worries and all other turmoil found within. 

I found acceptance in letting things be. There are greater powers surrounding us that we cannot fight. Give in - free and powerless. Understand that not everything can be controlled. 

Your power of destruction, your power of giving life  - a fragile balance - astonish me like no other. 

You allowed me to find myself within your dark Abyss. Feel it. 

You were with me as I fought my fears, conquering what before was seen as unthinkable. As you pushed back, you gave me the opportunity to find and define my boundaries. I respect your decisions like no other. 

Thank you mother Ocean.

    You are a sacred place. My religion, my temple of belief. A way of life. 

Home: yet, a whole new world to discover, everyday, exploring what is yet to be found.

Thank you mother ocean for everything you have given me and taken from me. All lessons learnt so far, and all that is to come. Grateful for having you in my life. 

Thank you mother Ocean. 

The Breakfast Club

Searching Sea Shells on the Sea Side 

Trains, means of passenger transport from A to B.  Within we are all strangers, yet we share a common space and a journey, however short it might be. Giving us all something in common nonetheless.

Some people you meet along the way, have a special vibe.

Connection? Same frequency? Joint vibrations? That is unknown, and will remain a mystery to us all.

You were one of them.

Joining the train ride a station after mine. You sat down in front of me.

I lifted my eyes off my book, to observe the new stranger sitting in front of me, as I always do.

Short caramel coloured curly hair,  olive skin.

Freckles all over your face, giving you character, something unexplainably cheeky.

And a playful sparkle in your bronze eyes.

As I did, your eyes lifted and met my gaze.

We both smiled. Genuine and pure - or at least so it seemed. Only for a few seconds.

I went back to my book.

It happened a few more times after that. No words were exchanged.

Did we have to? I definitely thought about it, you probably did too.

Were we both too shy?

Or too absorbed in our own world to be bothered to do so?

Regardless, it seemed as if no words were needed. Eyes and smiles were enough.

The train pulled into the next station. My destination.

I got up queuing towards the exit. Short after you did too.

One last smile was shared as we walked down opposite stairs, short before the flow of people swallowed us.

One last smile to a stranger, that, I will probably never see again. A short shared journey.

Thank you, beautiful stranger for radiating positive energy and sharing a few smiles on this short joint journey of ours.