I wonder how the Shore felt when it saw the waves coming for the first time.

The Shore came to realise that perhaps its life was being threatened. They came in prowess, and they came uninvited, removing some of the finest grains of sand that inhabited the beach. The Shore felt intruded, uncomfortable, lonely and of course, hopeless. Who wouldn't be? You would too if you had to reluctantly embrace something that takes away what is rightfully yours. After being overtaken by the harrowing tidal waves for the umpteenth time, the Shore became apparently immune to its enemy. It let the incoming swashes of seawater come at any time of day, lay claims to anything they wanted to, and determine how it would eventually look like.

The Shore came to realise that perhaps the waves were blessings in disguise. Sure, they stripped it away of the sanctuary it initially was. But even as the most valuable of treasures were being swept away into the sea, the Shore also bade hello to unprecedented gems, like the crystalline rocks that glistened under the sun. The Shore had never seen something so hard and strong, yet so beautiful and elegant all the same. Prized jewels indeed. And the starfish that tried to end its life. The Shore became its confidante, staying up late to lend its listening ears. The Shore could fathom it, because the Shore too had experience a loss before, perhaps once too many times. That was all it took - a willing friend - to convince the starfish that maybe, just maybe, it had to accept the circumstances and be resilient. It was thrown back into the sea yesterday. The Shore had saved its life.

The Shore came to realise that perhaps amidst the violent crashes of the waves, there were times when the touch of water felt like a kiss instead - a gentle reminder that they only meant well. They wanted to push the Shore out of its comfort zone to maximise its potential, to let it have a taste of struggle so that it would appreciate the easier times, to let it feel helpless so as to remind it to remain humble, and to push it back by five steps in order to fuel it to take ten more forward.

The Shore came to realise that perhaps the waves were their friends - a relationship bound by tough love. Look at how they have immaculately chiseled it into the awe-inspiring landscape that it is today. The pain and sorrow of being repeatedly crashed upon was worth it. It was all worth it.