PROLOGUE

     Only angels sang that way, the way a fine-tuned piano sounded, both crystal-clear and crisp.

     She had said this before, and that was that only a singing angel had the capacity to make a person stop and wonder how anything could sound so radiantly magnificent.

    She had made it through the pearly gates of Heaven.  It had been a long journey, but one well worth the wait.  She could hear a beautiful singing, but it sounded so far away.  It sounded like an Angel, but then suddenly, she thought she heard a sound.  Cautiously, she looked around, just a casual glance over each shoulder, but nobody was there.

     In the distance, she heard water, not like running water, but more like waves crashing down onto a sandy shore.  This new sound did not hold the same vibrant intensity as the Angel’s voice, for this remote sound had a location.  Graciously, she walked towards the sound, where she heard the water.  She continued to remain mesmerized by the voice of the music.  The singing Angel was still all around her.  She felt safe within the vacant gaps and holes surrounding her, it was part of her now; the breath she breathed, the air inside her, and the blood running through her veins.  The voice too, was a part of her. 

     The singing voice continued to envelope her, bringing her into a sense of serenity, peace, and love.  Although she was presently alone, she had an overwhelming feeling that she was not alone.  She felt a presence around her and inside of her.  She felt no sadness, no guilt, no regret, and no pain.  She just felt comfort and solitude.

     The air had turned cool, as she felt her toes squirming in and out of the soft, wet sand.  It felt nice to be walking on the beach barefoot.  The sun was set high, overhead with its resonating reds, intensifying oranges, and cheery yellows.  The early afternoon sun felt cool, even though the sun was bright. 

     She smiled, allowing the warmth from the sun to penetrate seductively through her soul.  Stars sparkled in the distance, amiably circling around the bright full moon.  She watched as a shooting star shot out across the sky, falling into the distance and into the crystalline, serene ocean waters.

     She questioned her vision.  The beauty of the night was filled with its own magical wonders, except for, it was not night, but rather the late morning hours of daylight.  Surely, she must be mistaken, she thought.  To question her vision while standing before it and with a clear mind, witnessing this amazing phenomenon.  It seemed right, but something in the back of her mind caused her to question it.  She recalled a faint memory of another time, when she had witnessed such an occurrence, but she could not quite put her finger on it.  The past had escaped her.  She saw no future.  All she had, at this very moment, was the present.

     Giggling as well, as to herself, she watched as the waves gently splashed up and around her ankles.  The enchanting water was so invitingly warm.  A single brownish, burgundy dragonfly gently rested upon her hand. It was so light that she almost didn’t notice it.

     Silently, she stood still, with her eyes closed, enjoying the moment.  It was a single moment in time.  She wondered why people could not find more time during their brief encounters on earth to take the time out of their busy schedules to simply, and this was an understatement, live in the present.  They always found a way to complicate things, to the point that it was no longer recognizable.  She viewed life as a gift, filled with these special occurrences, soul-seeking journeys.  So many acquaintances she knew seemed to dwell on the misery and pain in their lives, when there was so much more out there to enjoy. 

     This was her favorite place.  It held a sense of wonder and solitude.  The setting was quiet, allowing her time to reconnect with her heart and mind.  She believed the ocean to be one of life’s miracles.  It seemed funny to her now, ending up here on the beach.  The ocean had always been the one niche where she truly felt as if she belonged.  It felt like home and she felt protected. 

     She was home.  She had found her way back; amongst the turbulent journeys, between all the difficult obstacles, and now she knew she was home.  Giggling to herself, she sat down on the warm sandy beach, lazily making a sand angel with the movement of her arms and legs, sliding them across the soft sand’s surface.  She hadn’t made a sand angel since she was a little girl.  She found herself softly humming along with the singing voice.  She wondered if it was a child’s voice or, on second thought, if it was a woman’s voice.  No, neither seemed right. 

     She closed her eyes, hearing seagulls as they flew overhead.  She marveled at the idea of seeing the birds’ shadows in her mind’s eye.  She heard once that sometimes people who were going blind could only see shadows of gray, but without much detail.  This must be what it might be like to be blind, she thought, continuing to watch the shadows past her. 

     Just as quickly as it had begun, abruptly the singing stopped.  She waited with bated breath for the singing to resume, but she heard nothing, only silence.  She knew it was time to go.  She had reached the end of her journey. Standing, she opened her eyes and saw them.  They were patiently waiting for her with open arms. Dusting off the sand from her legs, arms, feet, and hands, she reached out for them.  She longed to feel their presence beside her.  The corners of her mouth turned into a genuine smile.

     “I am ready.”  She spoke. “Let’s go home.”

Copyright (c) 2025 Jayne Marie Ebert