The sun was setting as she sailed away, her homeland slipped slowly behind, left in the ship's wake - colours strikingly vivid, greens and golds and rich browns of plowed fields contrasting against the deep blue ocean and azure sky which presided over everything; as the coast fell away into the distance she wondered if she might ever see it again and how she may have change should it happen.
As the sun dipped lower a shimmering trail of liquid-gold stained the water, a glistening link between the ship and the land it steamed away from - the life she knew. Golden rays caught gulls sparking their white feathers aflame as they flew overhead - and a spark had also caught in her own heart, it burned with hot intensity and a desire to see the world.
Into a heart of brilliant gold, vivid red and purple the ship carried her, due west, the setting sun almost too bright to look at but impossible to look away from - and as shadows claimed the land behind she looked ahead and into the future she'd so desired...no matter what it may hold.
Since that night she's travelled the world, walked many paths and seen a thousand thousand things for the first time but that first night was something very special; aboard that ship, the night she'd first left home, something changed within her, something ended...and so much more began.
She remembered it like it was yesterday. Above glittered a million stars in a deep indigo sky, pinpoints of light that seemed closer than they ever had been before - It was like she could reach the stars if she but tried, and she wanted to; a creators masterpiece spread above and her life's masterpiece waited just over the horizon.
Below was the thrum of the ship's engines, rhythmic sounds of the screws churning through deep dark water pushing her ever closer to the unknown - and in between, the whistle of the wind in the mastheads in counterpoint. She breathed in deeply, crisp sea air filling her lungs as if it was her first breath of life, chill air tingled her skin and in her breast he heart quickened. She realized her hands the rail tightly and consciously released the grip...As her hands loosened their clasp on the rail she thought, was time to let go of what was and embrace would would be.
Since that night she's travelled the world, walked many paths and seen a thousand thousand things for the first time but that night she saw her future for the first time and like the stars it was brilliant.
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
[Original and AI free]
Image(s) in this post are my own
Not quite so dramatic, but this makes me think of the ferry ride to beaver island across lake Michigan. It's a two hour ride so you get some time to really meld with the ship. Nice prose!
Thanks mate, and I know what you mean about that ferry ride. There's something pretty nice about standing at the stern of a ship/boat watching where it left from falling away behind, and then moving to the bow and looking forward to whatever it carries us to. Thanks for taking a read.
Beautiful.
Brings up memories of my first time to leave home and travel abroad. The scenery was completely different, but that feeling, the excitement, the anticipation, that I felt.
Hope you are having a wonderful festive season xxx
It was that excitement, the unknown and what was left behind that I wanted to capture. It's a nice feeling, but can be confronting...in a good way. Thanks for reading this, I appreciate it.
I don't know why but this made me think of someone just finishing college and stepping out into the real world. They see their bright future, and they are excited to face whatever comes before them. After all their experiences, they can still look back to the past for inspiration, and remind themselves of their hopes and dreams.
I wanted it to feel like someone just starting out on an adventure, the adventure of life, and feeling some trepidation at the same time as excitement and anticipation; that's what I was going for anyway. Thanks for taking a read.
Oh I guess I was a little close, and I think you got your message across with that inspiring post. Thanks for sharing it.
You were indeed, and thanks again for your kind words.
This story made me feel nostalgic about the first time I traveled completely alone, it brought back the nerves, the expectations, everything. Remembering those moments and seeing them from where I am now makes me feel good because I see that that trip taught me a lot and helped me grow. Like in the story, I felt that something had changed in me and now I'm sure it changed me for the better
I think travel is something that expands ones thinking along with the experiences that come from it. We learn new things and experiences can change how we perceive the same things and new things we're exposed to. Take that back into our every day lives and change is inevitable. As you say, it's for the better usually, travel makes a person more worldly which permeates all aspects of their lives usually.
What a beautiful story, I imagined every part of that beautiful story and it reminded me a lot of my own, only it wasn't on a boat but that's what I felt. I felt identified, embrace what is coming, the future.
Thank you Galen, I loved it!✨
Thanks, I was keen to do something a little different and this is what happened. I enjoyed it. 😉
And to me... Will there be a continuation? That would be great!
My first trip far away from my family and all that I knew was exciting and I wondered how it would be when I stepped off onto new ground.
As soon as I walked out into my new world, I realized instantly that the scenery had changed, but I was still the same and I would be no matter where I went.
I enjoyed reading this. :)
You didn't find any self-change gained through travelling? Interesting.
I found I changed a lot, same core values of course, but it opened and expanded my mind, the way I thought about things, perceptions, tolerances, what people meant to me and how I related to them and more and then...back home I was forever changed too. The good part is that all of the changes I look back on now and call growth and development and all has been positive.
I suppose that's one of the best things about travelling, that is, how much it opens me up, even now after a lifetime of travel.
Thanks for taking a read, I'm glad you liked it.
I suppose I didn't really mean I didn't learn anything different, just that I thought I would feel different being in a totally new place, far away from where I had always known, but that is not how it turned out.
I did find I felt much free'er somehow, being in a place where nobody knew me or had an expectations of how I would act or what I did. It felt good, but I'm not sure it was totally good.....LOL... because compared to how I was before I got there, I was a wild child when I wasn't at work.
It was fun, but it was instantly over once I came back. After that I named it my mid-life adventure and I'm glad I did it.
Ah yes, that makes more sense to me now. Sorry, I took it literally.
A wild child huh? I never would have thought, but I guess sometimes I see it it a little in your comments from time to time. Lol.
There's so much to be gained from travelling and not just the obvious sightseeing and all, it deepens a person I think, from many levels including emotional intelligence. It's been a large part of my life and I'd not change it...neither am I done yet, so much more to do, see and experience.
I thought about the "wild child" thing and maybe that is perspective too. Maybe it just felt wild to me because it was out of my normal comfort zone. I did some things I never thought I'd do. I did learn to never say never. LOL
Good point, never is a mighty long time so best to keep one's options open. 😊
Let's see... and why are you making me cry now? Are you a novelist... writing the novel of what I want my life to be?
...
I know that my ship is waiting for me somewhere so that I can sail and see the world.
I send you a huge hug full of foam and salt.
Thanks for reading and commenting on this one. I like to do something different from time to time and this felt appropriate for the moment in which I wrote it.
I tried to think what it was like the first time I went away from home although it wasnt on a ship, I added the ship theme in so I could (hopefully) make it more interesting, wouldn't have had the same effect if I used a plane.
I'm sure there's a ship with your name on it and you'll sail to wherever you wish to be.
All these words are running in my imagination and my mind is conjuring up an image or a video you can say. It's looking dreamy to me as I want to experience to sit in the boat and to experience the sun setting, sun rays passing by my cheeks, sun's shadow's catching in my retina.
I will be starlorn means like one star is lost in this big universe. I want to be like that; lost in the big sea, in the middle of night. Ahhh it's scary, isn't it?
Interesting things this prose made you think and imagine which indicates I've managed to make it reasonably descriptive. I'm glad you liked it.
I am almost up on my feet and clapping, for how you made me feel. You made your writing come to life with so much care. I am impressed by your descriptive intelligence and how you are in touch with your feelings in a healthy way.
This is a satisfying read.
Thanks for taking a read and making some favourable comments, I am pleased you liked it and took the time to say so.
Below was the thrum of ship's engine....this particular para reminded me of the movie Titanic. It was nice reading this story, as I felt I was travelling in the ship and could imagine what exactly was going on with the ship.
Yeah, the Titanic huh? Not a ship I'd want to have been on, although no one knew, or expected, that it was going to end up at the bottom of the ocean.
Yes very pathetic situation indeed as it was its maiden journey.
Yes, a tragedy that could have been averted quite easily.
You know, the Titanic had a sister ship (identical) called the Britannic, that was refitted and used as a hospital ship in World War One (since 1915). It hit a sea mine in 1916 whilst on a voyage transporting sick and wounded soldiers and was sunk...luckily of the 1066 people on board only 30 died...well, not lucky for those 30...just lucky for the rest. So, both ships met a sad demise.
Anyway, there's some nautical history for you.
Good info. 👍 iam getting to know this for the first time. Thankyou
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I'm sorry but the final comment was wow!
Cheers!
As the sun set on her homeland, a young woman sailed into the unknown, leaving behind the familiar colors of her past for a world of vivid possibilities. Embracing the transformative power of that night, she embarked on a journey that unfolded a brilliant future illuminated by the stars and shaped by the freedom to explore.
You've summarised my text. Well done.