The black sand is sparkling and the current is strong. I took to the road at sunrise, dance music blasting in my headphones. I left the quiet rice paddies behind and drove around potholes for twenty minutes until habit pulled me over at a familiar beach. The crashing waves called me into their warm. I said good morning to a box fish and all the colors of the underwater rainbow. Saya suka ikan dan pelangi.
I swam hard up the beach against the ocean, tracking my heart rate and my reward was complete surrender. I stopped moving my body entirely and drifted back down the coast. Riding on the current, I reached out my arms and flew.
I slid my hands into the big grains of brown sand. Sundays dazzling. Playing with sand underwater is a form of magic, to be sure! I hear the sounds of the sea. It sounds like mermaids are pouring out the golden coins they’ve collected. Maybe it’s just the seashells rolling in the surf. The mermaids in my novel are definitely collecting coins and counting them at sunrise. Saya suka maharati pagi.
The wind is stronger in this dry sunny season. I love it. This is the first time I’ve seen sailboats here. Oh, actually it’s just the same fishing boats I’ve seen all year…they’ve just hoisted sails. I see. They’ve been using engines up till now. The fisherman are the sailors today. Beautiful! Mereka punya jukung ada di laut.
Waves of bliss rush over me the way the sun peaks out through the clouds, coming and going. I stretch on the beach like a dancer, a yoga woman, a yogini. My limbs need this movement to feel everything. What is life without movement? Nothing I desire, that’s for sure. You can join me: watch my sandy beach yoga flow on YouTube.
I kiss the camera and my adoring global audience adieu. 15min is enough of my life to share with the world this morning. The shimmer on the water is too bright to look at directly so I find a shady spot in the beach cafe. Saya pesan teh hijau.
I’m slowing down my days. I’ve said goodbye or see you later to many passions. I feel the sacrifice acutely. I feel their space with quiet stillness and simple adventures; a morning at the beach, a chocolate brownie ball at the cafe, a vampire book beside the pool. I’m focusing on the simplest pleasures again. It’s scary to slow down. It’s nerve wracking to step aside from the grind of the career that’s kept me so busy. What do I do with all that determination? Down shift. Coast. Joyride.
So much is going on in these villages hugging the Bali Sea. It’s easy to live here with a daily routine keeping me happily afloat. It’s a pleasure to just enjoy being alive. I’m releasing my grip on all the things I could be doing. Im releasing all the wonderful possibilities into the ocean. Maybe this is why I love digging my hands in the sand so much. Take it all off my hands, please, mama ocean. There is no rush. There is time in life to do many things and each thing in its own time.
For now, I wake and move my body. I indulge with the elements. I complete my little practices; plucking guitar stings, practicing Indonesian, breath meditation. I write and I write some more. I play house in this exotic town that’s growing familiar on me and watch myself moving through one of the biggest projects of my life.
The novel feels big and daunting. It’s also exciting and massively therapeutic. It’s challenging my mind to let go and hand the reins over to imagination and the wild spirit of creativity. These words I write about mermaids living my memories is an act of faith. Writing the perfect sentence every now and then is also just if not more satisfying than melting chocolate on my tongue…dare I say.
Love & Rainbows, Cha 🍍 Wilde
*I’ll share more details with you about my book in progress when you’re a member of my online studio. I give weekly “Book Reports” and offer interactive livestream workshops. You can sign up here.