One sunny morning on the shore of the Bay of Bengal, a young girl Ruhi was trying to read a book. She held it in one hand as her baby brother had clutched her other hand firmly.
It was an unusual day. The waves, the Catamaran ride, the ocean were the same, the only unusual thing was an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach.
The waves seemed to be calling out to her and trying to get her attention. She paused to hear it. She believed that each wave had a story to tell. Little did she know that today the story was going to be the one meant for her.
She had mixed feelings within her. On one hand, she was angry with herself for having been a spoilt sport a few minutes ago. She had thrown a huge tantrum and made the boatman turn the Catamaran back to the shore when he was already halfway in. And at the same time, she was relieved to be sitting right there on the shore.
What had happened to the thrill seeker within her who yearned to go to the deepest part of the ocean and swim to her heart's content? Something about the magnificence of the ocean always called out to her. Then why not today?
She peeped above her outstretched legs and to her surprise, she couldn’t spot the Catamaran. Fear engulfed her as people on that wooden boat, her family members were non-swimmers. She dropped the book as she stood up and walked closer to the ocean and squinted her eyes to see as far as her vision could reach.
She noticed that the boat had turned turtle and the two boatmen were trying to return it to its upright position. Her eyes searched for her family members but in vain. She closed her eyes and said a quick prayer as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Ruhi suddenly realized that her baby brother had left her hand and was walking toward the ocean, calling for their mother. She quickly followed him and held his tiny hand and lied to him that they would get help soon, knowing fully well that this private stretch had no lifeguards.
The next thirty minutes seemed like forever as the boatmen tried to help each of them to get back into the boat. As they came closer to the shore Ruhi was struck by their troubled expressions and torn clothes which showed the struggle they had endured.
Ruhi's mother held her outstretched arms and got off the wooden boat. With a flood of tears gushing down her cheeks she told Ruhi, “Waves speak to the soul, thanks for listening and saving your brother.” She hugged both her children tightly and cried and cried until her feelings found a way through her tears and joined the waves to tell another story to anyone who would listen.