The ocean’s roaring trying to scare her, telling her that world is on the brink of overwhelming her. Her sand bucket lays half filled next to her bare feet, and her Sand Castle of Ideal Life is only half way finished. Squeezing her tiny eyes shut she tries to block out the roaring of the Ocean’s Threats to diminish her Palace. The small heart flutters with the concept of Lost Hope. For the first time she’s realizing that Life might take over and her Castles in the Sky may fall from the Heavens and crash in small pieces, leaving her to pick up the mess.
Crash. Roar. Waves Breaking against Rocks and Cliffs.
Trembling just a little, the Girl Who Was Born Brave picks up her little yellow shovel and red pail and determinedly begins to form her Perfect Sand Castle.
The Dear Boy who collected sea shells stared at the Girl Who Was Born Brave as she ignored the threats and the blows that the Ocean made against her Sand Castle. With the will of a tiger and the heart of a warrior she kept going, even when the tide began to come in and tear down bits of her Palace. Dear Boy could see, see her tears as she tried to keep going. She needed her Palace. Her place of security and Hope for the future. The Ocean was being a tyrant, tearing down her Beloved place, and Dear Boy knew it was time. He lugged his own red pail full of collected Sea Shells. There was one in this bucket for the Girl Who Was Born Brave. He would give it to her, and she would know what to do. So he picked up his little feet and trudged his way through the blankets and umbrellas of the ones who watched but didn’t see.
Finally, he got there, but years had passed, and life had changed the Girl Who Was Born Brave into a Woman Who Was Brave, but her Sand Castle was still incomplete. D e s o l a t e. Despite being so very incredibly brave the tears of Frustration Towards the Beating of the Ocean’s waves against her Castle of Ideal Life, slipped out of her little prayer filled eyes. Almost in complete defeat she let the waves lick at the edges of her Castle letting the sand grains float away into the Ocean’s Dark Abyss.
Heart breaking for her, Dear Boy, who was now the Strong Man with the Arm of Comfort sat down next to the Woman Who Was Brave, and let her cry on his shoulder. She cried of the Ocean’s threats. Of how it was ruining her Castles in the Sky. The Dreams of Being Worthy and Wonderful always being dragged away by the Ocean’s continual waves. He sat there, and let her feel the Pain of Not Being Enough. Understand the Hurt of Forever Wishing and Hoping. The Fear of Lost Prayers and of Lost Hope.
Finally, when the Sun was setting and the Ocean had quieted its waves for the soft evening sky the Dear Boy, for that was who he was still in his heart of hearts, turned to the Woman who really was still the Little Girl who prayed with her eyes squeezed shut, and prayed for her Hopes to Grow Wings and Fly her away to her Castle in the Sky.
Wordlessly he pulled out a Sea Shell that he had found that was for her. A message for her little ears alone. A piece of the Ocean that would help her to understand its actions. It was a soft white shell with tan freckles across it and the Girl Who Was Born Brave let out a giggle, despite being an ‘adult’ now.
“Put it against your ear Beautiful Girl, the Ocean has a message for you,”
So the Girl listened as the Boy held her hand. Tears sprang from her eyes as she heard the soft whisper that she had never been able to hear over the roar of the Ocean. Soft whispers meant just for her. Whispers that spoke of Hope, of Strength, of Becoming Brave through the Trials of the Waves. That each time the Ocean had taken a piece of her Castle she had returned to make that Castle even grander than it had been before.
This is my way of loving you, Dear Girl. Says the Ocean, I take your prayers and I send them to the Shores of Hope, but your Hope needs more growing. Your Castle needs more than just sand, look at the mansions that line the beach lines and strive for that. Your Sand Castles are beautiful Dear Girl, but they are too small for you. Dream Bigger than You can Imagine. Hope for things Beyond this World.
Put this Sea Shell to your ear Woman Who Is Brave, and take strength from the waves that beat at your small Sand Castle, and remember to Dream beyond them, to make your Castles as large as the Sky, and as deep as the Ocean.
Take your dreams Dear Boys and Girls, and make them bigger than Life itself, knowing that the Waves are there to remind you to Dream wider than the Ocean, and to Love deeper than the Sea. And that there is always the Strong Arms of Comfort there with messages of Hopes and Fulfilled Prayers right there.
~Delian Jayce
