At home on the beach

So, I have been at home for about ten days, but only today I was able to go to the beach! This is not good, because in the seaside areas of Crete, going to the beach is not just an activity included in an expensive holiday package; it is a ritual not to be missed. You can do anything in the sea and on the shore; sunbathe, swim, do business, blog, catch up with relatives, party, flirt, eat, drink -whatever! Abstaining from enjoying the crystal-clear waters of the Cretan beaches is considered, err, a bit embarrassing, even if you don’t know how to swim!

At about 5pm, I put on my bikini and joined my father inside the car. We were heading to a beautiful shore, frequented mostly by families. We chose a nice spot, left our bags and fell fast into the water. The pebbles underwater were tingling my feet as I was entering the sea; a pleasant feeling that I will never forget. Soon I began swimming and my curls were soaked again in the Mediterranean’s salty water, after a year of absence abroad. And the more it was being soaked, the stronger the smell of my favourite honey hair mask. I was watching my father straying away to deeper waters, while I was just enjoying those blue little waves which remind you that summer will soon be over. The doctor says no swimming, but I ignored his advice; I wanted to be one with the elements in which I grew up.

My head was being bombarded by thoughts all the time. In the end, what is happiness? I’ve spent my life looking for it and even moved to places where I thought I would find it. But happiness is here, in everyday things that I have been taking for granted for thirty years. This place has everything; unlimited food, stunning scenery, terrific climate, minimum stress, employment opportunities and, above all, this carefree simplicity that we all seek when the time comes.

And here it was; happiness.

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