being that all my recent blogs have erred on the side of pessimism, and that i have spent three days in misery- sick as a dog who has an intestinal infection, i wanted to share an excerpt from my journal that i wrote on the fifth of july.
and i quote:
“i have had so many wonderful and funny experiences here. like the taxi bereft of gas at five a.m. rolling down the dark road, the four of us giggling at our misfortune. or riding in the back of a car rapide awaiting my death at the first jolt that will send me flying out the open back door.
but today, today i had one of the most amazing experiences. some friends and i ventured to Point des Almadies- a small, rock-filled beach nestled at the western most point of Africa. as a few of us were swimming out i noticed a secluded area composed of black basaltic rocks calling my name. feeling adventurous, i climbed.
i felt alive. climbing the rocks, smiling in delight to watch small crabs and miniscule fish darting in and out of water filled crevices. to look upon hundreds of glimmering seashells.
i continued to climb farther away from people, marvelling at the beauty of the rocks and the vast expanse of sun-sparkling water that stretched thousands of miles before my eyes. praying. enjoying. realizing that i am alive.
it didn’t take long to find a rock on which i could sit, alone in the silence. accompanied only by the sound of waves crashing against the rocks and the presence of the Almighty God.
i wished i had a camera but at the same time i felt the moment need not be captured digitally but that its life and beauty would remain forever in my mind.”
it is moments like these that i believe we live for. to look across the sea and to know that so much lies beneath the surface, beyond our knowledge or understanding. sharing these moments with a friend and discussing the amazing Being who created this and being awed by his beauty are what, truly, i live for. to know God and to make Him known.
two experiences that are hauntingly “magnifique” and which will continue to shape perspectives for a lifetime: the slow, smoldering harshness of the desert and the crashing torrent of the water of the sea. equally vast, equally awe-inspiring, equally life-changing.
and that time i tried eating the rock face off the edge of the coast while trying to show off a little climbing finesse…
Hey Tahni! I really pray that you are feeling better. I love your post about wishing you had a camera, but thinking it’s not the same as what is in your memories. I often feel that way.
Love you! — Louanne
Moments like this Tahni are truly precious, and serve to remind us of how blessed we really are. Praying that you experience many more moments like this during your remaining time in Senegal.
Cristina in Tasmania