The Ocean.

Three men stand beside one another, alone on a lush Sandy beach; lost in the delightful essence of a tropical paradise. The climate is warm and the atmosphere fresh, as each man faces the clear bright sun, methodically lowering itself before them; its glow glistening upon the quiet ocean.

In a somewhat philosophical mood, the first man thoughts are spoken aloud; “You know, I could stand in this spot for the rest of eternity, doing nothing but watching the sun hit those daily waves. Enjoying nature; as it allows the water to flow, in a manner it has always meant to.”

The second man chipped in: “Personally, as much as I adore the sight of the Sun upon the waves, I would rather spend my days swimming along its current. Letting the ocean float above it waves. I could look up and gaze at the sun in the daytime, and the moon; with those millions of stars I cannot name, at night."

”The third man - looking slightly puzzled, turned his head to them both; “Is that all you want; watching and swimming. That’s it?” 

The second man replied; “Of course. What else is there to do?"

The third man's voiced raised slightly; “What else? Let me tell you what I would like to do with my days. I would also love to swim in the ocean, but unlike you, my desire is to swim downwards; further and deeper with each stride, till I reach the Corals, sea-life, and all the wonders of nature, untouched by man. Maybe if I swim deep enough I shall find Atlantis - or even a magical kingdom of wonder. Why would you want to merely watch and swim, when beneath the surface lies a multitude of possibility?”

Wide-eyed, yet calm, the second man responded; “The way I see it. The bottom of the ocean is dark for good reason. If men were meant to explore its depth, then God would have given us gills, laser beam lights for eyes, and internal oxygen units capable to breathe underwater. But they didn’t – they gave us arms and the ability to tread water. I am satisfied with nothing more than swimming” 

“The way I see it”, said the third-man, “The fact God didn’t give us those abilities, is more of a statement for us to persist and explore, no matter how adverse the conditions become. I am not satisfied with anything less than discovery”

The first man – appearing lost in his own internal bliss, looked up to the heavens, took a deep breath through his nose, and a calm smile grew upon his face; “This, gentleman, is the beauty of life. One of us seeks answers, another chases moments to enjoy the gift handed to us, and the final man is happy to simply watch on as the dance unfolds."

“What is your point?” Said the third man.

The first man answered; “If we all wanted to watch, nobody could appreciate the feeling of the sun or water on our senses as we swim. If we all wanted to swim, it would be impossible to feel the blissful peace in enjoying the moment. And if we all wanted to go deep? Well, after a while, we would be so lost in trying to find beauty, we would miss out on actually seeing it all around us. I believe this is why we all choose as we do; to show each other there are always options, neither are right nor wrong, and free-will is the real gift God handed the human race.”

“So this is why you choose to simply watch then?” The other two enquired.

The fist man laughed; “Yes. That and the fact I cannot swim.”

Lee.