“The Gods have been very kind to me” I thought as I looked out onto the vast blue ocean. I was in a sea of blue, (quite literally) – the deep blue of the ocean below and the lighter hues of the skies above. The salty sea breeze was rustling my hair, or at least what remained of it. And as I leaned over to watch the waves as they gently caressed my ship’s hull, I felt a gentle fear creep in. You see, I was on the bridge wing – which is the highest deck on the ship. And looking over the railing did trigger a fear of falling. I took a step back, checked my bearings and retreated into the safety of my cabin, a couple of decks below.
Back in the comforts of my cabin, my brain wandered through several random thoughts before settling on the title of this post. What is the safest place on Earth. After rejecting nations considered superpowers, the streets of some quaint little town in Italy and even the ultra sophisticated nuclear bunkers, I came to a, not so obvious, realisation. To me, the safest place on Earth is within the Embrace of someone who loves me. My father’s hug; warm like a quilt on a cold Sunday morning; me drawing strength from his every breath and knowing that in that moment, nothing else mattered. It’s when time stood still, until every cell in my body found the comfort and protection that I’d longed for. My vulnerabilities ceased to matter and I became my true self. And for a brief moment, I attained Nirvana. It’s only now that I realise that the safest place on Earth was within his arms.
He left us in April this year, and I realise I’ll never find that strength and that safety. It’s the memories of his hugs that I carry with me to help me wade through the rest of this life. I will never have another chance at this, but perhaps you still do. And perhaps this is your cue to give the man, that you owe everything to, another hug, and engrave that moment to the annals of your memory.
Cheers.
