The living blue

I’ve always been insanely attracted to large expanses of water. Ocean, river, lake and pond—even a swimming pool would do. Swimming is supposed to be a great exercise, and I’ve always found it infinitely calming. Nothing beats the feeling of lowering yourself into the blue and letting the water take over. Of course, a pool is no match for the monarch of all water bodies — the ocean. The first time that I saw the ocean ‘live’, I was aw­estruck. Often, while travelling, I’ve reflected on the fact that the eye lens can take in so much more than the camera lens — that which the eye can absorb in a single glance, the camera takes several clicks to cover. But my eye lenses, too, fell short of capturing the beauty of the ocean. I realised that I had to move my head from side to side, to take in the entire panorama. For a long moment, I was dumbstruck. The ocean is alive...
This might sound prejudiced, but for me the beauty of the mountains doesn’t come close to that of the ocean. The mountains are unmoving, stoical in their beauty. But the ocean is alive…and unpredictable. It beckons to you, it entices you, and it has the power to hold you forever. It teems with life and throws up surprises every second, something I discovered during my stay.
There’s a reason people go treasure hunting in the depths of the ocean; and I don’t mean just the kind that comes from shipwrecks. Standing amid the waves, every time I dipped my hand in, it came out with a different creature — clams, snails and molluscs with their smooth, shiny shells and even starfish...every second, the ocean was more alive. There was one feeling, though, that kept nagging me — and still does — from the moment I set my eyes on the restless waves. I felt this strange pull, an urge to walk right into the water, and go on… and on…and not stop. To ‘give’ myself to the ocean. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nothing suicidal! It’s just true love, that’s all…
Zehra Naqvi