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The Naturalness of Nature
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By:
Debbie Ann Tan
Don't go to the beach. We are warned: Stay out of the sun. The harsh rays cause skin disease and even worse, skin cancer. Stay out of the water, itıs unpredictable. Good swimmers are known to have drowned because of the pull of underwater currents. But enjoying the beach is an experience one should never miss. Feel the sand, the breeze, the water, the heat of the sun or the light of the moon, and love the objects of the beach. Go to the beach, at least, once in your life.
Fear is reasonable. We should know the dangers that lurk around places. But we shouldnıt let fear deprive us of growth and learning. Precaution is a must. When we are warned we should protect ourselves. We can go to the beach and put suntan lotions to protect our skin. We can swim in the water with lifesavers on. We wonıt go very deep into the ocean and weıll always have a responsible companion.
Iıve been to several beaches. They gave me different memories to treasure. The most unforgettable was a beach in Davao del Sur. The beach was connected to the great Pacific Ocean. This was a very raw beach, not a commercial one. So, it wasnıt cleaned or maintained. Coconut and coconut husks, sticks and stones were all over the sand. Nevertheless, the beach was beautiful.
Its beauty lay in how natural the beach was. There were no man-made canopies, no huts, no safety nets in the water, and the sand was uncombed. But this was nature in its most real form. This wasnıt made to be a fantasy beach where the beach was "dressed up" for tourists. This beach was simply nature with the insects, the rough sand, and fierce waves.
The water was inviting so, before swimming, we really made sure we had life jackets on. This was December, the wind and waves were merciless. But I had to try the ocean of the great Pacific. At first contact, the water was cool but surprisingly, underneath, it was warm.
One big wave covered me. I was pushed under the water. It was dark and I was deep into the water. Fear crossed my mind, but I learned a valuable lesson: In such a situation, the only way to save oneself was to stay calm. Donıt fight the waves. Donıt panic, although another wave pushed me again while I was rising to the top of the water.
When my head was finally above water, the waves had carried me a distance away from the shore. My instinct was to swim toward it. I waited for the waves to withdraw before I swam forward. And used the oncoming waves to assist me to shore. When the waves withdrew, they would push me back, but Iıd wait for the right timing.
I just let my body be tossed in water and also, let the water push me up. Of course, the life jacket was a big help in making me float to the top. But our bodies are capable of floating. If I had panicked and paddled, my body wouldıve become heavier, tired and sink further. If I had screamed, I might have drank water, which can also make me sink and drown. The experience lasted for a few minutes, but it seemed longer.
My companion encouraged me to shore and held out a hand when I was nearer. This experience made me respect nature and its forces. I visited and swam in other beaches after the experience. It didnıt leave the fear in me, but the attitude that everything in life is a learning experience. We shouldnıt cheat ourselves from this. If we fail to love discovering things, such as the beach, we might never know our potentials, our inner strength.
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