Marcus cried. Cried of joy, gratefulness and mainly of the sudden recognition of his blessed and loved self. The whale stopped near the less deep part of the ocean and Marcus hugged it saying a thank you. He did not think if the whale would understand his gratefulness. Coz, he understood love doesn’t need words sometimes. When he swam back to the shore, the whale dived back into the ocean and disappeared into the horizon. The whale’s song of call heard in the distance, as if it said “Live well, Human”. He smiled looking at the familiar horizon in the distance. The dolphins hoping and diving with whistles as they swam away, as well.

He stood by the shore feeling reborn and content. A glass bottle rolled in from the wave, hitting his feet. He took it to see few notes rolled in them. He sat by the waves and opened the bottle, taking the first little note.

“If appearance is what matters, then why souls are sent to heaven while the body
rots in the earth?”

A tear rolled down his eyes. It’s as if the ocean is talking to him. He folded the note carefully and placed inside the bottle, taking another rolled note.

“Love. An easy emotion to hold to. But why search outside, when we can find it
within. For Love, starts with oneself”

His tears didn’t stop. Its all real. His questions are answered. And he felt a strong realization that he is loved by God. The ocean. The whale that saved him. The dolphins that celebrated his return to life, the elusive octopodes that lit up around him, in the dark, as a hope and sign that it is not the end. He felt loved. He felt full of life. And in the midst of all the feelings, he felt love for himself. A love for him, from him. He hugged himself, as if treasuring the feeling. The warmth he found in himself. He placed the note in again and took another rolled note.

“Oh! the Joy of discovering what we love. When we all want to be someone for
what they do, but why not we do what we want and be the One?”

That moment Marcus realized something important. When he compared himself with his friends and decided that the restlessness and void is coz of the lack of partner, but in reality, it’s because his heart’s been clawing at him to find the passion he wanted. And this very recognition of himself, made the fog lift in his mind and the restlessness dissipated. He minds and heart worked as one as he felt
the rush of doing more. Marcus loved designing dresses. Ever since his childhood at orphanage, he used to help stitch the torn clothes of his roommates and friends. The old nanny had thought him. He’d stitch them with beautiful arts and patterns. And this very memory rekindled a passion in him, he never had time to think of.

He stood up with a new light in him, and for a reason he knows this light is gonna last in him. With rest of the rolled-up letters in the bottle, he puts it in his pants pocket.