top of page
Eilish Bouchier

The ocean stole my shoe

eilish bouchier



Just like that it didn’t ask for it. It just took it. Cheeky eh!

I live a couple of blocks from Bondi Beach, ‘lucky’ I know 🙂 I like to swim, walk, do yoga and meditate at the beach.

eilish bouchier


So there I was this morning with what is possibly the biggest tide I’ve ever seen at Bondage (as I affectionately call Bondi) Huge, huge waves, An intimidating wall of white foam, and a complete contrast with 3 days ago when it was flat as a pancake.

Could it be the full moon?

As I walked one wave overtook the preceding one by as much as 50m (that’s 54 yards for the imperials among us), so I spent my time walking by the edge to running to avoid being suddenly knee deep in water as the ‘edge’ shifted constantly back and forth.

I had left my yoga mat and shoes at one end to the beach well shy of any danger but wondered if anything was out of reach, the way these waves were breaking today. When I returned they were safe and dry.

I had planned to swim but decided the surf was too big and so unrolled my sheepskin and began to meditate placing myself even further up the beach.

At first my mind was wandering but soon settled in that lovely place where everything else was shut out. I have no idea how long I was there until the moment

I was completely wet.

Yep, just like that one of those errant waves had advanced to meet me and went well beyond me.

If you won’t come to the ocean we’ll come to you then:-)

I was momentarily waist deep in the ocean.

(highly amusing for those watching from the safe gallery of the promenade who saw what was about to happen 🙂

Nothing like a cold shower to snap me out of my reverie and back to earth quick smart as my stuff floated around me preparing to follow with the now retreating wave .

I saw one of my shoes carried by the current moving very quickly away from me in the wrong direction. I immediately heard my father’s voice cautioning about never chasing anything in that unending direction so I turned my attention to what was closest grabbing my towel, my yoga mat, my notebook and purse, thinking I’d get my shoe in a minute when everything else was securely on dry land.

I did that mental check of stuff. I had everything except my shoe but when I turned again there was no sign of it. Anywhere.

I glanced at the sole shoe remaining and checked around to see if I had picked it up already. Nope. I looked at the ocean once more not quite believing it had disappeared so quickly and thoroughly There was neither sight nor sound of it. Obviously sucked into the vast foaming sea off on another journey without me.

I smiled at the silliness of it and took my sodden self, my heavily watered things, walked home barefoot and smiling to a very welcome hot shower.

And pondered on how tiny and fragile we are and the letting go of things.

x


22 views0 comments

Comments


bottom of page