Aab loves the vast expanse of the ocean, particularly where it touches a sandy beach. But he does not spend much time visiting beaches, because they are occupied either by fishermen drying their catch of the previous night, or by revelers who are splashing around and patronizing snack vendors. The sight of plastic leftovers saddens him.
To Aab the ocean and the beach are two inseparable arms of the same being. The tide threatens to engulf the land when it starts coming in, only to realize its limits and meekly withdraw to its earlier levels. The sand, with its millions of uncountable grains, remains steadfast for centuries, even though it looks so fragile and loose as though the mighty ocean will wash it away in a matter of days.
The grains of sand welcome the flow of water. They change form to suit the in-and-out flow of the tide. The wave comes menacingly towards the shore, tumbling, racing, pushing hard – and meekly spreads itself thin over the sublime sand, reaching its last point as a thin film of transparent frothy covering. Then it recedes quietly and with grace, giving place for the next roaring wave to barge in with all its fury.
Aab watches the grains of sand. At times they seem to come alive, rolling over each other, forming new shapes, and even racing with each other with the flow of water. And yet Aab knows that they have no identity, they have no “I” in them. They mingle happily, not only with their own kind, but also with the intruding salty water, the tiny sea shells, and the squirming little creatures that peep out now and then from below their layers.
The tide comes and goes. Great thinkers like Shakespeare, Aab remembers, said, “there is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the right time, leads on to …….” But with due apologies to the great Shakespeare, Aab wonders why man should take advantage of a high tide instead of flowing with it. Why is it that humans fail to understand that even the low tide is essential, for it creates the high tide. The wave, which has traveled for miles building up its energy and momentum, meekly flattens itself out and recedes back happily. Only Man wants to think that the energy and momentum of wealth and power that he acquires is his and his alone, and for ever. Aab looks down at his body and laughs, for even the body that he is attached to for years and years, is not actually his.
