Sailboat

She slips and slides on the muddy ground beneath her feet, digging her toes in to grasp some purchase as the water licks the bottoms of her rolled up pants. She stumbles into the boat, awkwardly trying to steady the rocking and find her balance. This time it’s only her in the flimsy boat and she grins her nervous grin as she attempts to head out into the water. The wind shifting directions and strength constantly, the girl finds herself fumbling around like a blind chicken in a maze. Every movement shifting the balance and altering the path. Twice she ended up in the water, but she got back in, bailed out the water, and kept on going. Behind her sunglasses was a spark of determination that would not be put out by the wind or the water or the burning sun. And as the wind pushed her little sailboat further out to sea, she did not look back.

Louie Elliott