The First Wave
One day, my friends and I visited Marina Beach, just 5 kilometers from our college. We were enjoying the sunset, but I noticed that one of my friends stayed apart while the rest of us played on the beach. “I have never seen anything so beautiful in my life. I didn't know there was so much water,” he said. I felt a bit surprised by his reaction since it was just a beach, something most of us have visited since childhood. Curious, I asked him why he said that. He told me that, at 21 years old, this was the first time he had ever seen a beach. In fact, he was the first person in his family to see a beach in the last three generations. I was shocked. He hails from Madhya Pradesh, over 400 kilometers from Bhopal. He is the first person in his family to move outside of Madhya Pradesh. As I watched him enjoying the sea, I saw pure joy and wonder in his eyes. That night, I reflected on this experience. I realized how fortunate I am. Growing up in Thiruvananthapuram, I've always had a...