A sting to remember
Trust, gratitude, and being in good company.
It was many years ago. I shared a beautiful colonial house with a great gentleman. He had a wonderful collection of abstract art, which added a special touch to our house, along with antique furniture. Our house was conveniently close to my workplace and was also surrounded by natural beauty, with towering trees and lush greenery. The house was part of a cluster of colonial-era bungalows, built more than a century ago, to house senior officers from the British army. It had a high ceiling and a maid’s quarters with a connecting door. All the houses in that street were painted in black and white. We had a bus service, a local bus loop that connected our quiet area to the bustling parts of the city. Our regular bus driver knew nearly everyone on board. He would often stop mid-route to pick up familiar faces, greeting each with friendly small talk and a warm smile. It felt like a world in itself, cozy and connected, with my workplace just three stops away.
My new housemate turned out to be an expert water-skier, a sport I had long admired but never tried myself. With his encouragement, I finally decided to join him one weekend and started learning the basics of waterskiing.
We would head out nearly every weekend, hiring a speedboat and exploring different waters, canals, and open seas. Each outing was an adventure, and waterskiing soon became a weekend ritual. It was also a wonderful opportunity to explore some of the uninhabited islands nearby.
Learning the Ropes
Each weekend, I would watch my friend glide effortlessly over the water while I clumsily tried to balance before inevitably toppling over. My friend was always patient and encouraging, helping me improve each time. Water skiing requires core strength and balance as the skier maintains control of the skis and stabilizes the body to stay upright on the water, and I was slowly getting the hang of it.
The Sting
One bright, sunny weekend, we ventured out to a secluded island. The water was calm, and the air was perfectly suited for a day at sea. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that our boat driver was a former water skiing champion. As a beginner, I often found myself splashing into the water, then waiting patiently in the open sea for the speedboat to circle back and pick me up.
It was during one of these falls that I felt a sudden, sharp pain in my left armpit. I climbed back into the boat to discover a bleeding wound. Our boat driver examined the sting calmly and said that it was a jellyfish sting and noted that the jellyfish in this area were typically non-venomous. Despite his reassurance, thoughts raced through my mind. What if it was one of those dangerous, venomous ones?
First Aid
Sensing my anxiety, our boat driver quickly took charge. He steered us toward a shoreline lined with wild plants, plucked a few leaves, crushed them, and gently applied the paste to my wound. “This will ease the pain until you can see a doctor,” he said. His calm demeanor and swift action were reassuring.
I consulted my doctor as soon as we returned, who confirmed that the sting was not dangerous and prescribed medication, along with three days of medical leave. The wound healed quickly.
Reflections
Looking back, I couldn’t help but feel grateful. The jellyfish had been harmless, but more than that, I felt fortunate to be with an expert boat driver who knew exactly what to do in the moment. My friend, and our boat driver, with his quick thinking, had turned what could have been a frightening experience into a memory I could look back on with gratitude. As I recovered, I couldn’t help but thank the grace of God for guiding me throughout this ordeal.
Sometimes, life’s unexpected stings are not meant to wound us, but to remind us of the value of calm guidance, trusted companions, and acts of care. In the end, it is not the pain we remember, but the people, and the grace that carries us through.
Thank you for reading my story!