By Craig Akiri
That afternoon we set out to walk as far along the shoreline as we could. To live in the moment, enjoy the sun, and forget our troubles. It was summer break after all, and the shores of Mombasa seemed to call my name. What I did not know was that nature would reveal itself to me that day. The clear sands once decorated with soft glass and driftwood were now being hit by roaring waves. I was stunned, staring into the ocean past the horizon. I felt a bit of its anger. The
ocean works tirelessly to shape the land, transport minerals, and help sailors to shore all without rest. “Come on! We got to make it past the cave before the tide,” my friend said.
We had been warned against crossing the cave while the tide was high. It was filled with stalagmites that were rough and sharp from previous tides. When the time had come to cross the cave, we locked our arms together and counted our steps. At this point, the waves were as big as a person and the sound of the water crashing against the walls of the cave made it hard to hear each other. About halfway across, I slipped, causing me to lose my grip on my friend’s arm. I
quickly grabbed the side of a rock while my heart raced. Another wave washed over me, submerging my head. I was in its way, a tick on its back that it could not wait to get off.
Another large wave hit, this time taking my shoe with it. I watched as my shoe drifted away later to be submerged, never to be seen again. I was next. “Cross before the next wave.” I heard my friends shout. They had made it to the other side, where the coastline was much further back, and the waves were yet to touch. I strained my eyes to look for a clear way to walk. I leaned back, preparing to jump: “1 … 2…”, I took off my other shoe to have better balance. Was I stalling? Over to my left, another wave was approaching; my heart sank as I clenched my toes against the rock.
***
Something in me changed at that moment. I was numb, the air felt thinner, but my heart stopped racing. I hopped from one rock to another, reaching the other side. My friends were there to welcome me. I was still numb, but I felt calm and at peace. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks felt like it was coming from inside my head. The ocean had changed me, like how the waves smooth out rough rock and turn them into pebbles, turn dead logs into
driftwood that can harbor marine life. I was less naïve.
We sat at the end of the coast just out of reach of the water. I could still feel its waves swaying my body left and right, but it was gentler this time as if it were trying to lull me to sleep. The sun had set, though it was not too dark. It still amazes me that the ocean can act with such force. I thought about surfers and how they ride the waves effortlessly knowing that at any moment they could be swallowed whole. Is it courageous to go against something that is unpredictable and to adapt to it? It must be. If you are stubborn and rigid, the waves will lay you flat as they almost did me.