When I was about 13, my friend and I went to an afternoon beach outing in Florida. We got on floats and paddled around the edge of the Gulf of Mexico near shore. Until suddenly we weren’t near shore anymore. An invisible riptide dragged us further and further away from land. Paddling against the currents proved pointless. We managed to grab each other’s floats as we continued out until land was no longer visible. Passing a small barrier island, we screamed at the people partying on the beach. They neither heard nor noticed us.
A storm became visible as the small island drifted out of view. It began to rain and lightning cracked while thunder rumbled. The sky turned black. We prepared for the end of our journey. Said goodbye to one another as the waters grew increasingly choppy. Suddenly, out of the black mass of the storm, a tiny object appeared. It grew closer and we realized it was a motor boat. We waved and screamed desperately. They spotted us and mercifully, diverted course. Strangers saved us from drowning that day.
So I'm curious, did you at any time consider for one second that it was NOT some huge coincidence that some boater happened to see your tiny tiny heads bobbing up and down within a sea of waves a very long distance away? In anything more than a calm ocean, they certainly couldn't have heard you. I'm not asking you to go beyond that but wonder about your thoughts at the time - before your intellect and past snagged you.
When I was about 13, my friend and I went to an afternoon beach outing in Florida. We got on floats and paddled around the edge of the Gulf of Mexico near shore. Until suddenly we weren’t near shore anymore. An invisible riptide dragged us further and further away from land. Paddling against the currents proved pointless. We managed to grab each other’s floats as we continued out until land was no longer visible. Passing a small barrier island, we screamed at the people partying on the beach. They neither heard nor noticed us.
A storm became visible as the small island drifted out of view. It began to rain and lightning cracked while thunder rumbled. The sky turned black. We prepared for the end of our journey. Said goodbye to one another as the waters grew increasingly choppy. Suddenly, out of the black mass of the storm, a tiny object appeared. It grew closer and we realized it was a motor boat. We waved and screamed desperately. They spotted us and mercifully, diverted course. Strangers saved us from drowning that day.
So I'm curious, did you at any time consider for one second that it was NOT some huge coincidence that some boater happened to see your tiny tiny heads bobbing up and down within a sea of waves a very long distance away? In anything more than a calm ocean, they certainly couldn't have heard you. I'm not asking you to go beyond that but wonder about your thoughts at the time - before your intellect and past snagged you.
I was grateful to be noticed. At the time, I don’t think I attributed it to anything other than a happy coincidence.
However, the coincidence was more about being swept away in a populated area than anything else.
I think often about the pros and cons of population density.
That is some scary stuff - we're glad you're still around to tell us about it.
Thanks for reminding us that the world of non-news around us is rich with small moments.
Thanks Joyce, the pleasure is mine