We Are Ships In Harbour

"Each moment, including this one, is a place you've never been." ~Anon.

"Life is a first draft...with NO rewrite." ~Anon.

I was in Venice, Italy about a year and half ago. That city is beautiful; it just feels cozy. Anyways, it was midnight, and I was walking home with my ex-friend Sam (for short). If you've ever been to Venice you'd probably know that by midnight the city is dead. Very few people will be walking the streets past 11pm. I am not sure why.

We were walking the small Venician alleys, enjoying the atmosphere, with our gilato's in hand. Then Sam started talking. To be honest I do not recall what he was talking about. He was excited about something, so he just kept rambling on and on about it and I was just nodding... trying to enjoy the peace and silence around us in between his words. We walked out of this narrow alley and in front of was a bridge, crossing a fair size canal. It was beautiful, the moon and the buildings on the sides were reflecting off the water in the canal.

As we were crossing the bridge I noticed this Italian girl sitting on the other side of the bridge. She looked about 20. She was sitting on the edge and she had the saddest look on her face. Sam was still talking about whatever he was talking about... oblivious to the beautiful Italian girl and the moon's reflection off her tears.

We walked for about 5 mins past her, eating our gilato's. Why is she sitting on the edge like that? I was trying to sound interested in Sam's story, so I would try to say a few smart words here and there in between my nodding. We kept walking for a bit... Sam still not finished with his story... But then I had to stop!

Sam: Are you ok man?
Me: Ya ya just wait.
Sam: What's wrong?
Me: Just give me a second.
Sam: Why? what's going on?
Me: Just shut up for a bit and let me think.
Sam: hehehe. Dude what is it?
Me: Wait here.

I had this moment while I was eating my gilato. I thought to myself: I am free. I can do whatever I want. I control my life. We always have this power but yet we rarely get the courage to use it. The courage to try something we haven't done before. To rewrite our future history!

I walked back to the girl!!! She was still on the edge of the bridge looking at the moon and the water, with her tears dry on her cheek. I don't know how I started the conversation but we ended up talking for 15mins or so. She told me why she was crying and I told her that nothing is worth her tears. I purposefully did not ask for her name as I wanted her to stay in my memory that way. You know it is like when you first hear a beautiful foreign song, you think that the song must be about something so pure and noble. And then you find out what the lyrics mean and you get disapointed.

It felt great to connect with another human being with no reason at all. I had to leave because Sam was starting to make noises that sounded like swear words. We hugged, said goodbye, and she disappeared in one of the narrow Venician alleys.


"A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." ~William Shedd