Friday 3 January 2014

14 Sandcastles, 14 Rock Steady Empires

Under the unbearably hot summer of late December, whilst I firmly put my put-all-aside plans on practice, and after promising heartfelt respect, we left all the way to Southern Coast Highway, for the Holidays.

And while I drove – feeling restless, but, yet, excited –, the unveiling of the ocean and the tallest skyscrapers yet seen were the always-so-shocking contemplation of, perhaps, a more interesting piece of life.

Not so sure about the outcome of such a technique, I steered, yet again, into Le Velvet art gallery, St. Mercy Street, no number, taking all possible caution to be respectful to my loved ones and, at the same time, have myself some friendly figures to place beside me, with absolutely no intentions to dive into deeper art appreciation.

And as if by magic, I was, at last, enjoying the place, enjoying the summer. With my just met childhood friends, I was strolling in the beachfront, with a remarkably empty mind, freed from all the ties and notches from ordinary life, late at night.
Life was, for once, no longer a burden, but a candy-smelling treat, funny to deal with.

It was Christmas time. I was a child building sandcastles under the sun and swimming in the ocean amidst prayers for spiritual washing.

The midnight, however, was about to arrive. I was back in town, swimming in my own sweat, but, still, glad – in some extent – to be back to one's arms.

After the countdown, the fireworks were propelled and the 13 sandcastles felt to the ground, in millions of indistinct grains.

In retrospect, the year that just flied away was seemingly nothing but a hot mess of events that my blurry, limited vision can barely distinguish.
So many happy moments, so many smiles, so many new places visited, so much love felt and distributed – yet so many unfulfilled dreams, shattered expectations, so many cries of pain, so many occasions when I found myself standing before a shadowy horizon, unable to walk through, unable to figure out the next step to take.

As 2014 starts, my spirit is filled up with good wishes and hopes, that sum up, in the hastiest speech, in movement, improvement. Wishes for a new breath of life, of hope, of enlightenment, of truly making sense.

Shall we build no more sandcastles, but truly rock steady empires; shall we walk in firm ground from now on.

As the first sunrays from 2014 touched my skin, I, in the cozy arms of sleepiness, dreamt What a lovely dawn it is.


Happy new year!