A boat stranded due to low-tide.
Disclaimer: The event and characters you read in this short story is fictional. Any resemblance to a real incident, to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
Once upon a time in the 18th century, a young man was living on an island so big, so hollistic that he doesn’t want to leave no matter what. Every time his caring neighbours told him to go to mainland, he said that he already have everything that he need on the island, so there is no reason for him to leave. As time goes by, the young man became and adult, and like any other peoples of the island, he get married with a local lady and was blessed with two kids – a boy and a girl. His wife is a wise young lady, and she is aware of her husband’s stubbornness and the concern from the locals about his attitude of never wanting to leave the island to find better opportunities outside. No matter how hard she persuades him, she still cannot make him to go to the island. After doing her own research, she found out that the main reason why he doesn’t want to leave the island is because he had an accident at the sea, where his boat was capsized and he was drowning, but luckily he was saved by his late father. Ever since then, he refuses to go near to the sea. His late father told him to slowly get rid of his phobia, but he refuses, and instead, he claimed that he loves the island and never wanted to leave.
In order to make his husband face his fear, she and their kids tried to make a story. Their daughter, who is a talented young girl, and can act out anything, feigned to be in pain. His wise wife also collaborated with the island’s shaman so that she will tell the husband that the cure for their daughter’s sickness is available at the mainland. Hearing this, the husband was taken aback, since he had his fear. However, thinking that her daughter’s life is more important and no bigger than his fear, he embarked his journey to the mainland, which normally takes one full day of rowing since the island is not that far anyway.
His journey is not that easy at first, because it has been a long time since he was on the water. But after sometime, being a naturally-born seaman, he continues his journey. Dolphins, as if they were invited, swam and jumping around his boat to keep him accompany. There was once he saw a strange figure swimming in the water, like a huge fish, but he doesn’t care – for all he want is to go the mainland and get the medicine for his daughter. Once he arrived at the mainland, he was greeted by an unknown old man. Surprisingly, that old man knows him very well, as if he was his father. That old man then gave that guy a little box of something shining, which he said was entrusted to him by his late father. That shining item turns out to be a huge pearl, something bigger than a golf ball, and inside it was a strange inscription, believed to be a mantra of some sorts. Before he left also, that old man brought him a new model of boat, the one equipped with an engine, which is way ahead of its time. Once he passed to him the items, the old man bid farewell and then gone with the wind, as if all this while he was just a concentration of colourful, personified dust.
Without wasting any more time, he sped of to the island, and to his surprise, his daughter was all healed-up. Feeling uneasy, he approached his wife and asked her, what is happening here? His wife then explained lovingly that she doesn’t want him to be bounded by his fear anymore, and explained to him that no matter what happens, she still loves him despite his short-comings. Though initially he was a bit frustrated because he felt cheated, instead, he hugged his wife and his children tight. The shaman asked for the pearl from the man, and explained to him the person he met at the island is actually a manifestation of his father’s soul. His father wants to meet him before he leave this world for good, and after waiting for so many years, now his soul can finally be at peace. The boat itself was sent to his late father by a visitor from another era, since his father was a wise leader of the land, and with the boat, he is more agile than ever. However, care must be taken that the boat is in good condition, so it is summoned only during the emergency situation.
After the incident, the man and his family live in peace at the island, and once he is wise enough, he was equivocally elected to be the chief of the island.
Moral of the story:
1. Love is our resistance. A soul full of love can conquer any fear.
2. Family first, fear later.
3. Our parents are getting old. Make time to visit them more often before it is too late.
