In a small town near the ocean, two friends lived—James and Mark. At fourteen, James was taller than his peers; he was a handsome boy with brown eyes and curly hair. He loved having adventures and was the first to try risky things for fun. Other boys wanted to be friends with him, and the girls looked at him with interest and gave him attention. Teachers predicted a great future for this boy. They believed he could become the director of the local factory, the leader of their fishermen’s community, or even the town’s mayor. However, James had different plans. He was a dreamer and adventurer and was sure that this small town wouldn’t hold him.
Mark was younger and, by nature, the exact opposite of James. He had a blond hair, was shorter, shy, and cautious—a quiet boy who loved solitude. He spent his time sitting by the seashore, watching the ocean waves. It seemed his only interest was observing the ocean. He didn’t play with others, care about girls, show interest in learning trades, or talk about his plans for the future. Some people in town called him a freak, but Mark paid no attention to that. His favorite place was a high stone cliff, offering a breathtaking view of the harbor and the town. There, the wind from the ocean carried the smells of fish, seaweed, rotten wood, salt, and countless other scents the ocean held. He would sit alone, dangle his legs over the cliff, and enjoy the wave patterns below.
Mark didn’t have any friends, except for James.
James often visited Mark at the cliff. He would sit next to him and share his plans for the future—his idea to leave the town as soon as he turned sixteen. He loved talking about distant lands and the wonders he planned to see, about foreign women with dark skin and pearly teeth. He also told Mark the fascinating stories he had heard from sailors about sea monsters, mermaids, and sunken treasures. Mark was the one person James could trust with his secrets and dreams. He knew Mark wouldn’t turn his words into gossip like others could do. James’ parents wanted him to take over their family shop, his teachers expected him to pursue further education, and his friends wanted him to have more fun with them. But no one, except Mark, knew he planned to leave town soon, and he intended to keep it that way.
Mark usually listened quietly and only spoke after James was done. He supported James’ plan to explore the world but often changed the topic to talk about the ocean, explaining why he believed it was alive and could be better understood with time
No one understood why James became friends with Mark, not even James himself. He just knew they had some unexplainable internal connection. Perhaps it was because neither of them cared much for town life, and both sought to escape the routine—Mark by staying close to nature, and James by running off to see the world.
These friends had many long conversations, but time passed inexorably, and one day James turned sixteen and he decided to leave the town. He joined the crew of a ship heading to Africa. On his last evening in town, he planned to say goodbye to Mark and share some ideas he thought might help his friend. He visited him as usual, and after a few pleasantries, he got straight to the point.
– “Mark, I’m leaving tomorrow. The ship has one spot left, and I want you to join me. You want to understand the ocean, and the best way to do that is to be in the middle of it—sailing through storms, living through the calm, feeling the breeze, and seeing the ocean from a hundred different angles. What do you think?”
– “James, I’m happy you’ve chosen your path, but mine is here. I don’t want to join a ship’s crew or face storms to see the ocean because everything I need is right here.”
To James, this sounded like the answer of a coward. He knew Mark didn’t like taking risks, but he couldn’t believe Mark would miss the opportunity of a lifetime out of fear.
– “Mark, with all due respect, you can’t understand the world by sitting in one place. You should come with me, see the world, and discover its wonders. I don’t see how you can learn anything by doing the same thing every day. You dream of the ocean—why are you afraid to explore it further?”
– “It’s not about fear. I know I’m doing what I need to do, and time will show who was right. But you’ve never truly understood me, and you don’t understand me now. I hope you find what you’re looking for in your travels.”
– “You know, Mark, I’ve tried to respect your differences, but now I see it’s just arrogance. You always think you know better, but to me, you’re just a narrow-minded coward hiding your fear of change behind some deep-sounding wisdom. There’s nothing behind your words. Live your life as you want, but when I come back, we’ll see who was right!” – James snapped, and with that, he left.
The next day, James left town to start his journey and discover the world. Over the next twenty years, he experienced countless adventures he could never have imagined. He visited towns from Brazil to China, fought pirates in the Caribbean, became the captain of a military corvette, and protected merchant ships on their journeys to India. He earned fame and recognition, enjoyed many pleasures, and made numerous discoveries. Eventually, he met the woman of his dreams, proposed to her, and after a long time at sea, he felt ready for a more settled life. He decided to return to his hometown, continue the family business, and raise children.
Sometimes he thought about Mark and wondered how he had changed. James was sure that Mark hadn’t accomplished anything and still sat by the ocean, searching for meaning in his endless observations. But James looked forward to seeing him again. He wanted to share his stories, show Mark how wrong he had been, and prove that Mark had wasted his life. James felt a sense of satisfaction, anticipating the moment when he would return victorious.
On a chilly autumn morning, James and his wife arrived back in his hometown. To his surprise, the town had changed dramatically—from a small provincial town, it had grown into a bustling, beautiful city. After visiting his parents, James decided to check the old stone cliff near the lighthouse to see if Mark was there. To his disappointment, Mark wasn’t. James returned to the city and asked an old schoolmate if he knew what had happened to Mark.
– “Of course, I know. He’s in City Hall now,”- his schoolmate said. – “But I’m not sure if he’ll have time to see you. The king is visiting tomorrow, just to meet Mayor Mark Barker.”
– “The king? Are we talking about the same Mark? The one who spent all his time near the lighthouse, uninterested in anything?”
– “Yes, the same Mark. You’ve been gone so long that you missed everything. But I remember you were his only friend back then, so maybe he’ll make time for you.”
Intrigued, James went to the City Hall to see his old friend in person. On the way, he took a shortcut through the central city park. As he walked, he heard someone call his name. He turned and saw a well-dressed, confident man standing before him. In a few seconds, he realized it was Mark.
– “Hello, James. Long time no see.”
– “Mark! I heard you’ve become the mayor.”
– “Yes, the people elected me, even though I had no interest in running. Let’s go to the pub and catch up like old times. We’re not young anymore, so we deserve a drink.”
At the pub, James shared his life story, filled with adventures and accomplishments. When he finished, Mark smiled and said:
– “Now it’s your turn. I thought you’d spend your life staring at the ocean, but I see you changed your mind and achieved so much. I’d love to hear your story.”
-“Everything is a little different from what you said, James,” – Mark replied.- “I never stopped observing the ocean. It’s because of that I’m the mayor of this town.”
James was baffled. “I don’t understand. How did watching the ocean make you the mayor?”
Mark leaned back and began to explain.
– “Over the years, I learned many things from the ocean that others couldn’t see. I know more than three hundred types of waves, each with its own meaning. I recognize over two hundred different winds, from gentle breezes to hurricanes. I’ve learned the language of tides and how to predict the ocean’s changes. I even understand the language of seagulls and other sea birds. Most importantly, I’ve come to see how all these elements combine into the unique language of the ocean. This knowledge helped me predict storms and protect ships, advise fishermen, and guide farmers. It brought prosperity to our town. My understanding of the ocean made me a trusted figure, and that’s why the people elected me. But my heart still belongs to the ocean, and when my term as mayor ends, I’ll return to my spot near the lighthouse, just as I did before.”
James was stunned. He had never heard of anyone understanding the ocean so deeply. At first, he doubted Mark’s story, but yet deep down, his instincts, sharpened over time, told him it was true.
– “Mark, I have to admit I was completely wrong the last time we spoke. Can you forgive me?”
– “My old friend, I’ve never held a grudge against you. You said what you believed at the time, and I respect that. With time, we learn our paths, and what’s right for one might be wrong for another. You gained wisdom through your travels, and I gained mine through observation. Life offers infinite ways to find wisdom, and it’s not necessary to conquer the world to discover it. Now, let’s drink and talk about life like we did twenty years ago.
