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Lost in the Waves
Reliving the Joy of Childhood Passions
I remember the salty tang of the ocean breeze — I can still smell it today, by just thinking about it. I grew up in a coastal city, so the ocean was an old friend and not just some background.
I would spend six straight hours in the water, battling the bigger waves and letting the smaller ones carry me to the shore. The beach sea was my playground and the beach was my second home.
There are a few memories that stand out clearly in my mind. The fizzy taste of Coke in a glass bottle (the best kind), a treat I was only allowed once or twice a week. The smell of freshly cooked crabs, french fries, and occasionally fried fish. Those weren’t just beach snacks — they were a part of the whole experience.
Getting to the beach was an adventure in itself. We’d catch the “Jardineira,” “Gardener” in English, a bus unlike any other. It had wooden benches and open windows, more like a breezy, rustic cruise than public transportation. Not that safe, but so fun for children. The whole trip, between taking a bus downtown and then later catching this special bus, took about an hour.
Growing up in a coastal city in Brazil, everyone’s world revolved around the beach. We didn’t have many parks, mountains, or the wildlife the countryside often offers. Despite not having much other than the beautiful ocean, it still felt joyful to swim in those warm waters. The funny thing about me swimming as a child: I could never stop. I could swim endlessly, losing myself in the rhythm of the waves.
But as I have grown older, I stopped a big change. Why did I stop having so much fun in a simple moment? What happens to us as we age, that makes us lose the ability to get lost in the moment, to immerse ourselves in pure, unfiltered joy? When did we lose our sense of wonder? We have become more distracted, less joyful, and more easily bored. It comes with adulthood, I’d think. We have traded our wonders for many distractions.
Being an adult has its own set of challenges, but deep down, I know that the child who loved the ocean is still there. I want to be that girl again — the one who swam all day, who never wanted to leave the water, who lived fully in each moment without a care in the world.
We should all look for that child inside us, who was so content with simple activities, so in tune with life and joy. We need to bring her back so we rediscover the pure, unfiltered happiness that once came so easily. Let us all reignite our passion for simple pleasures, find peace in the present moment, and embrace life with the same sense of wonder and enthusiasm we once knew.
In doing so, we reclaim not only our joy but also our true selves — the ones who were never too busy or too burned to simply enjoy the ride.
Editing by Grammarly/ChatGPT
