From Boardwalk to Besant Nagar

I'd always wondered what my college life would be like. What would I be doing? What would happen that would supposedly make it the 'best days of my life'? It took me about five months, but I finally found it last night.

Just as I bought Boardwalk.

Five friends and I sat on the floor, with a Monopoly board in the middle. For the uninitiated....check Wikipedia.




Each of us were busy. Properties were being traded, hard negotiations were being conducted. Money flew left and right. Houses were built and pulled down almost immediately. And amidst all the haggling and arguing, we burst into laughter at the jokes and antics we pulled on each other. Like paying a 2$ rent with a 500$ note and asking for change immediately. Like kids, we tried to cheat, and grinned sheepishly when we were caught red handed. We flattered, coaxed, threatened and pleaded to each other.

And in the end we had one winner, four bankrupcies and an entire night of simple, plain entertainment.

Realising that it was almost dawn, we decided to head to Elliots Beach at Besant Nagar...

*


As the sky began turning purple, Rahul, Joseph and I pulled off our slippers and waded into the sea. The tide was strong, and lashed forward in increasingly threatening waves.

Pretending to be part of an Army battalion, we locked arms and kept walking until we were waist deep in water. Turning around to face the shore, we closed our eyes and listened.

Waiting.

It's one of the most beautiful sounds I've ever heard.

The sound of water gushing forward, anticipation building up to a crescendo. And at the exact moment, we felt a wave crash onto us, throwing us forward into the open arms of the sea.

Screaming, yelling in excitement, we tossed upwards without hesitation. Embracing the whole experience.

I belong to a generation that grew up watching movies that depicted college life glamorously on the big screen: parties in flashy clubs, with pounding music and lots of drinks to go around.

Yet here I was. Having the time of my life. At the seashore.

I've always heard of suicide points on mountain tops. I'm not sure if anyone ever walked up to those spots and lept off to certain death. But anyone who wants to, should come to the beach instead. Pull off their slippers and slowly wade into the water. You wont have to plan anything. Just let the sea take care of everything.

The tide, you'll quickly realise, has a life of it's own. Like a clever, slithering animal, it reacts and evolves every minute. The sea is like a close friend: mischievious, playful, energetic. It'll drench you in water, but it'll also carry you above the waves. It'll push you to the ground, and help you rise up again. It'll never talk back, but it'll never stop speaking either.

When we finally walked back onto the shore, I was filled with a new found optimism. The clouds looked beautiful, the atmosphere refreshing. It's true that life's measured by the moments that take your breath away. For they are the moments that convince you that life is beautiful.

And you'll be able to feel it every once in a while. Whether you're playing a board game with your pals, or flirting with the sea.



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