DOLPHINS SWIMMING HOME paintography by Michael Forbus WHEN LEAVING PORT IN MEXICO, WE ALWAYS TOASTED THE VOYAGE ON THE BOW. WE DRANK NAPOLEON COGNAC, THE BEST IN THE WORLD, FOR IF THE SEA STIRRED UP WE WOULD HAVE IN OUR MOUTHS THE TASTE OF HEAVEN. WE WOULD STAND WATCH EVERY FOUR HOURS AND TRY TO SLEEP FOR FOUR. AS WE HOISTED THE MAIN AND SLOWLY TOOK TO THE WIND, I HAD SECOND WATCH AND I WENT TO THE BOW TO GET MY FILL OF THE SEA AIR ON MY FACE BEFORE SLEEPING FITFULLY. AS I APPROACHED THE BOW, I SAW GRACE APPROACH. A PAIR OF YOUNG DOLPHINS HAD SWAM THROUGH THE IRIDESCENT PLANKTON AND WERE LUMINOUS GREEN AND THE MOON HUNG FULL LIKE A CHINESE GONG REFLECTING OFF THEIR BACKS. THE WAVES WERE THE ONLY SONG LAPPING THE BOW. THE LINES WHISTLING IN THE WIND AND THE MAINSAIL LUFFING A BEAT LIKE A CONGO DRUM. THE HALYARD CLANGING GENTLY AS IF BELLS RINGING. THE DOLPHINS PEERED UP INTO MY EYES AND I FELT THE EVOLUTION OF THE SEA TO THE SHORE AND KEEPING GOD IN ALL THIS I KNEW THAT IT WAS OUR CHOICE WHERE WE CAME FROM AND WHERE WE WERE HEADED AS DID THE DOLPHINS. THE LOVELY LUMINOSITY OF EMERALD THAT COVERED THEM WAS SO ELEGANT AND DISTURBING AT THE SAME TIME. AN ENIGMA AT SEA. ARE WE ALWAYS TRYING TO SWIM TO BECOME DOLPHINS AGAIN OR ARE THEY TRYING TO TELL US OF THEIR CAREFREE LIFE LETTING US KNOW OF FREE CHOICE THAT WAS GIVEN US. WE CHOOSE TO BE MAN; TROUBLED, AT WAR WITH OURSELVES AND OTHERS, NEVER SATISFIED, UNFAITHFUL TO THOSE WE LOVE, AND THEY SO PURE. YES, WE HAD FREE WILL AND WE CHOOSE THE HARD PATH, THE HARD AND LONG WAY HOME. THE DOLPHINS LOOKED MY WAY ONE MORE TIME AND SAW THE SALT IN MY EYES FROM THE SEA AND TOOK TO THE WAVES TOWARDS HOME, AND IT WAS ALWAYS EXACTLY WHERE THEY WERE AND WE ALWAYS SEARCHING FOR THE PLACE THAT WE CAN CALL THAT. CONSIDERING THAT CONUNDRUM, I HEADED FOR THE DECANTER OF NAPOLEON AND DRANK MY SELF INTO A DOLPHIN. story by Miguel Forbus and very true. Image by Michael Forbus