Breezy Thoughts

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“Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it” – Winston Churchill.

Setting: the beach.

Time: evening.

Season: Summer!

Mood: slothful…

A well-spent summer always leaves you in a carefree mood, where the days are long, and your mind wanders, as you lay in your towel, rightfully lazy.

My mind, drawn to this kid and his kite, remains blank.

The beach is half empty; the breeze is warm.

The dog in the distance darts to and fro.

Families talk and laugh, kids play and run to the water.

But then there’s this kid, casually flying his kite.

From the distance, he doesn’t appear too thrilled. Instead, like me, it’s as if he has nothing better to do. Simply passes the time, watching his kite glide…And I too, watch, idly, yet relaxed.

And so I observed, and I thought of that quote by Churchill I had once read. I wonder: had he actually said it, or had I been misled by the internet? Legs crossed, toes dipped in the soft sand, and camera in hand, I question that quote, and how it applies to the scene I see before me- because that’s just what I do when my mind’s a blank, and I have space to simply… marvel.

I take a picture. And another. And I notice: there’s practically no wind. But still the kite rises. Not very high, sure, but it is up there for a while. Suspended mid-air. How come I relate to that? Am I the kite? Am I, in this moment, metaphorically speaking, gliding across this wave of serenity?

Gosh. My mind can be so cheesy. Still, I allow it.

Eventually, the kid probably becomes just as consummated by the lack of allure of our surroundings as I do, and he sits in the sand, taken by his thoughts. I, of course, find this whole scenario very visually appealing and continue to snap pictures of this stranger. I look around and snap a few more things, but I remain drawn to this kid. And the quote that resonates on my mind. I feel pleased because the photos look great, but I search for some meaning. There’s got to be some greater significance, or else why does it appeal to me so much?

«Kid, don’t give up», I think. «Keep flying the kite, even if it doesn’t go very far up».

But then again… what for?

And what for looking for some star-sent sign, any deeper meaning in even the simplest of times? Why not, while there’s no wind, simply enjoy the breeze? Let it blow with the wind.

And so my mind wanders into another thought…

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Photo taken: July 19, 2017

Mode: Aperture Priority

ISO: 250

F: 4.5