Water Memoir by Dijona B. Clemons
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Feelings. Emotions. Navy Blue Starry Night Skies. Death. Friendship. Anxiety. Winds and Spirits. I'm pretty sure that I've had way more interactions with water than this night I'm referring to. But none like this night for certain. None of the other water experiences stuck. Stuck, the way it stuck in my head then; and stuck the the way in which I'm able to think back on it as I write now. I'm certain none of those other experiences allowed me to go back and list what I thought, felt and saw as well.
It was the beginning of a new year directly into my third or fourth week in a new state, school, and social environment with all new faces and individualities. Everyone was unique and everyone around me wanted what I wanted. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia. I was now in Los Angeles, California. The heart of Hollywood to be exact, and had just begun my journey as an artist at AMDA College & Conservatory. My newly made friend and Roomate accompanied me that night . Santa Monoca Pier was where we had an evening escape. Escaping from the anxieties, chaos, and commotion of what starting over brings to new environments. Both alone, but little did we know we had each other and would need each other for years to come.
With our toes pressed underneath the sand for warmth we sat in solitude. Observing and gazing amongst the body of water in front of us; drreaming, thinking, and just being. My thoughts included thoughts from overwhelming appreciation of my current existence and accomplishments of making it to a place years before the very moment I could have only dreamed of; to thoughts of doubt, fear, confusion of life and love, and a weird contemplation of whether or not I was really me. Weird I know, but the most memorable and captivating experience of sitting in front of the ocean at the Pier that night was how the waves heavily threw themselves to shore in a soothing rhythm that fought with my floating anxieties; calming every negative thought I had; showering me with light and assurance that this was where I belonged. The mist against my face and the windy cold night air seemed to be of no disturbance what so ever.
Everything felt right. I was in the right place at the right moment and that was all that mattered. Knowing that gave me a feeling of freedom, a proud sense of freedom. The spirits of my grandmothers and my grandpa who had just recently shifted over to opposite ends of the universe were still amongst me. I felt them through the energies of the water and wind within me. The Ocean and the sounding of the waves hitting against the shore became best friends of mines forever that night. A memory that I will forever hold on to.