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| stock image from wikipedia |
The Seafoam
A Modern Unangan Tale
By Searean Moon
Copyright Searean Moon, 2015
It all began that fateful day the clouds cried. I would never have gone to see what was happening otherwise. But when a cloud cries, it matters. Clouds have seen it all, all of humanities joy but also its cruelty, whether they want to or not. They can’t help it, they must do their job as must we all. So, their normal rain pattern is like a background sound. The commercials between your favorite show. But that day, the clouds cried.
I could not place the sound at first, it happens so rarely. But then I remembered back when I was a child, the clouds had cried then too. That was the day my tribe "forgot". It was a sad day for all of us here. No more play dates, no more sweet laughter for no other reason than just being alive, no more games.
I call them my tribe because they moved to my island a long time ago. They were seeking some peace away from the world of humans and had found an island suitable but others followed. Too many others. So they began to seek again and I showed them the way to mine. Mine is special, very cloaked and shrouded, perfect for those seeking peace and quiet. I lead them to mine. I knew they would eventually have "Her". Some things are meant to be.
Okay, so yeah, I had no clue about her, but it sounds cool and it is what I plan to tell my grandkids! The pure joy I felt around them, hard to describe. I loved to lie there on the bottom of the ocean, not a care in the world, spending eternity swaying to the forces of Nature. I can imagine no greater joy. I won’t tell how exactly, but there are ways to view what happens on the surface lands just as they can take a peek at our world down here at the bottom of the sea.
My spot is where the world meets the sea. It is a unique spot, no other place like it in the world. So it is no wonder that the tribe that settled here would be unique as well. Or that it would eventually produce a girl like her. Her natural beauty astounded me the first time I glimpsed her. There was talk of her and some of it was sad. I loved our leader, who had heard all these stories and when it was time to take a wife, he chose her.
It became a grand love story. The legend is he was fishing nearby her island and spotted her with a bunch of other girls getting the grass for the baskets. Even knowing her life, I saw her smile, and she felt joyful. Such true beauty. That is what the legends say. And we all heard the tales, we all did what we could to make it seem so fairytale perfect for them. Unfortunately, that is what brought the others.
Sometimes when life is going so well, others want to try to take it for themselves. This was one of those times. It was a mighty battle, one involving most of the world in one way or another. When my tribe was taken away I lost her for a while. I searched but travel is difficult, as you might imagine. If I was sea foam instead of seaweed, it would be so much easier to follow her. But I was seaweed, rooted to my area for life. So, I had to change.
You know the rules for such drastic change, it can be done but the cost is high and you cannot undo it. But she was worth it. Her smile was pure joy, her soul so vibrant and beautiful, not another woman had such a soul. So, I did it. I won’t try to explain the process or the pain, it is too hard for a mortal to understand. Needless to say, it hurt and by the time I was done, she was once again moved far away.
When I finally found her again, the sadness in her eyes stabbed my heart like startling a gathering of porcupines! I felt so moved. But I was now sea foam and no longer seaweed. I could not help her very much. All I could do in this form was stay as close as I could and send her my friendship. She felt it, though did not know it was me. When she looked out to the sea, she felt it and would daydream for hours as we dreamed our dreams.
I have no idea exactly how it happened, no one does. Sometimes the Goddess, or Mother as we call her, surprises us like that. I was lapping there on the beach, sea foam like the rest. Though I used all my strength to stay here in this area instead of riding the sea like the rest. I was mostly spent, but determined to stay right here. They thought me very weird and maybe that is how Mother heard about me, all of this just to try to stay close to some human?
So, I found myself suddenly on the land, my head resting on her knee as we looked out to the Sea. When she stood to go home, I became what is called a puddle I believe. It was great to be so close, I could see her myself instead of the secret ways. The joy I felt transferred to her and she became more at peace once more. I felt a change and realized my time was short. The sea is endless with no beginning or end, but not so a puddle. I sent her all my love I could until the day my puddle dried and I joined Mother once more.
Much time had passed when Mother sent for me. I had forgotten everything I once knew and just basked in the lightness that is Mother. She said there was a chance to rejoin my friend if I wanted. As she spoke, the memories came back...
My tribe, being seaweed, becoming sea foam, finding my friend, the slow death that every puddle must endure, forgotten as the happiness flooded me once more. Mother smiled at my childlike eagerness.
My friend needed me. She was about to have her last baby ever, there was a problem and I could become her child if I so wanted. I could not believe my luck, wow! I agreed without thinking of it. I got to spend the end of my time and join my friend as a part of her. That kind of thing rarely happens, I believe I am the first to go from seaweed to seafoam to mortal!
It is hard at times to understand them, I do feel different. I guess because I am. I got to grow up for my friend, trying to lighten her days. Now I have my own daughters and it is time to tell them the story of friendship and devotion. Will they understand how special we are? Will they think I am just telling a tale? Or maybe even this thing called a lie? Maybe that is what I will tell them, that this is a story I dreamed one night. That it never actually happened. I mean, who ever heard of a cloud crying, no one would ever believe that!
So, this is the tale of a dream I had after I had pizza late at night, nothing more. Seaweed cannot see. Clouds do not cry. Puddles do not dry up. And most important of all, seafoam is not magical essence itself. It is merely seafoam. But what is foam of the sea, if you stop and think about it??! Is it the tears of the mighty sea itself? Did the Sea, moved by her sadness, cry one tear that became me?
