The Chance

Chapter 16

I hear the crashing of waves as I close my eyes, feeling the breeze as the wind blows to my face. I sigh as I take in the peacefulness of my surrounding. One thing that I really love about my job is that I get to travel and visit different places. With all the pending work, unending meetings with the clients, and troubleshooting problems in installations, I will always make sure to find time and explore the place I visit. There is a lot to experience like meeting new people, eating authentic food, sight seeing in a known local attraction, strolling in the local market and then there is this: Peace and Quietness.

I open my eyes and see the dark sky. I was lying on the sand using my satchel as my pillow. It has been along day, but coming here was worth it. It is a cloudless night and you can see clearly the specks of light scattered in the sky. When you look long enough you'll begin to notice that more stars are up there, some are just brighter than the others. stars that we don't normally see in the city.

Our office is near by the sea, but the shore is far to crowded, the blinding lights coming from the bars and restaurant around the shore is keeping our eyes from seeing the beauty of the night sky. While the loud music was disrupting the lulling sound of the crashing waves.

I love the sky in the morning but not as much as in the evening. I always believe that there is something else greater than us out there, and the night sky always reminds me of this. Every time I see the stars I can't help but have a warm feeling spreading in my heart as I remember how my dad used to take me in the roof top of our house and mom would come after us with some hot steaming coco. We would chat and talk about random stuff. I always love those moments with them, it feels like it was just yesterday that we would camp out and star gaze waiting for a shooting star to appear.

I believe that I was 6yrs old, when I saw my very first shooting star. I was jumping and yelling at my Dad to look at it, I pulled him to the telescope and told him to lean over, Mom was laughing at the background as I jump around with so much delight. I was so amazed how magnificent and fast the light moved above us. Dad says I am really lucky to have seen it, that only few people get to see shooting stars. He told me that because of this I have the privilege to make a wish. So I closed my eyes really tight and made that special wish.

I didn't notice that I was crying until wind blew again and felt the chill from the trails where tears slipped thru. I miss them. I miss their smile and their laugh. I miss their hugs. It is times like this that reminds me that they are gone, but these are also the times that I feel closer to them even for just a moment.

I couldn't stop the tears from falling so I cover my face with my arm. It may be peaceful and quiet but I am certainly not alone in the shore. There where other people around, but since it is already late and not so many to disturb the calmness of the place. The sound coming from the near by hotel I checked in was being drowned by the sound of the sea.

I felt better after cried my heart out. I know that they are always looking out for their little girl, up in the sky. I know that they are out there - somewhere. I helped my self up and brush off my pants, after picking up my satchel I decided to walk a little more by the shore.

I was in a province a few hours away from the city. The beach here is beautiful, but as not crowded as the others. The beach is slowly getting known to be a good surfing spot, but there are still areas where you can just lounge around an appreciate and experience some quietness.

I was walking back to the hotel and I had my head down lost in my thoughts, when I bumped in to somebody. 'Really, Leah? Don't make 'bumping' to people a habit.' Said the voice inside my head.

I said a quick sorry to the stranger without looking since I know that I probably look hideous for crying so much earlier. I tried to move pass by him, but was startled when that person took hold of my wrist and spoke.