ANZUS House

Paihia Dolphin

“Paihia Dolphin”

　When I first visited New Zealand, I went up to one of the northern-most towns of the north island called Paihia.  It is a place where you are guaranteed to spot dolphins all through the year, so I drove up with my friends to see them.  After many green hills the town of Paihia appeared.  It was a small, quiet town with the turquoise blue of the sea as the back drop.

　The boat that we boarded sailed around islands dotting the Paihia area as we waited for the dolphins to find us.  When they did appear, we were able to put wetsuits on and swim with them.  On that day was special, for more than the usual number of dolphins appeared for us.  Even when the boat was running at full speed, 2 or 3 swam along around the bow of the ship.

　They veered to the right→, wiggled to the left←…

　They were completely at ease and were enjoying it.

　One of the dolphins following us suddenly showed us a beautiful high-jump as it drew a perfect arc of a circle.

The instant

movement

made the time

stand still

　The dolphin was using its potential to its fullest, yet the arc it drew in the air seemed natural and almost graceful somehow.

　The jump was burned in the back of my mind and was there to stay.  The more I remembered that jump, the more I felt like my life was going

nowhere

　Perhaps I was trying hard to become a whale or something, when I was actually a dolphin.

I have always hated myself and tried harder and harder

to become someone else,

and failed every time

and found myself

dejected

I cannot become a whale.  I probably will not be given the strength to become one.  But as the dolphin, I felt that I would be given the courage to become the best that I can be.

I decided to do what I was created to do,

to draw, even if it looked silly to me.

from Beyond the Long White Cloud, by Ayaka Miyashiro

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