Twilight Angel

31/7/2017

While we were on holiday in Australia, I found this wonderful, deserted expanse of beach in the Northern Territory. I'm guessing it was part of the Arafura Sea, or a bay connected with it. It had become our habit to go down there every evening, just to take a walk and to enjoy the solitude and the salt air. We had it to ourselves, this delightfully private oasis, that is until tonight. For the first time in a little more than two weeks, we realized we were not alone. As we walked, we noticed a little girl, about 10, seated on the shore, her brown skin and dark hair perfectly framed by the blues, purples and pinks of the setting Australian sun. She sat so still, so proud, as if she held the wisdom of a thousand generations behind her brown eyes. We stooped for a moment, watching her, wondering what her life was like, and then she jumped up, grinned broadly, waved at us and skipped away. In that moment, she transformed from the wise proud young lady we imagined to a sweet little girl playing on the beach; maybe she's both?