A Tale of Onism
It started as a distant rumble, fading in and out with the ocean breeze. Its rhythm interrupted only by the early morning waves caressing the pink sandy beach. As it got closer, the sound of the engines grew steady, and it became a sacred humming sound. And the young boy looked up in awe at the aircraft passing by, wishing he could be in it traveling to some faraway place.
And in that aircraft flying above the island, another young boy sat surrounded by leather and walnut luxury, strapped in his seat, fascinated with the island below. His eyes moved from the dark green trees to the edge of the water. And he watched in awe as this remote tropical paradise slowly passed by, wishing he could be on it running barefoot on its pink sandy beach.
In that moment, both boys felt a sense of loss knowing they couldn’t possibly exchange places. But the sensation passed, as each had a picture of it clearly in their heads.
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Note: “Onism” is a brilliant word coined by John Koenig, author of The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, defined by him as: “a kind of monism – your life is indeed limited to a single reality by virtue of being restricted to a single body – but something is clearly missing. Pronounced ‘oh-niz-uhm.’”
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Hello! I’m Michael Kennedy, Olympic Valley, CA resident. I’m a teacher, freelance writer, and photographer. Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed it, please share with others. I value your attention, it means a lot to me and it helps others see the story. If you're interested in any photos in this post, or in my gallery: click here, let me know what size you want, and I'll send a quote. My email: michael.kennedy999@gmail.com.