The lake looks like it’s trying to sneak into the ocean unnoticed.

The inlet below looked like a quiet negotiation between land and sea. On one side, the sandbanks stood firm as if reluctant to yield; on the other, the water pressed gently but persistently. A boat drifted lazily near the channel, its presence so understated it seemed part of the scenery rather than an interruption. The trees around me swayed with a rhythm only they could hear. I traced their uneven outlines against the overcast sky and felt a strange kinship with their stubbornness to stay rooted despite the wind’s insistence. Somewhere in the distance, I thought I saw the faint curve of a wave breaking—a reminder that even in stillness, motion persists.