no guarantees

To the next class - 

You may not trust me at first, and you don’t have to 
I probably wouldn’t
Guardamar is a sneak, a mystery moonlighting as a blank slate
slowly plotting overnight, tiptoe-ing towards a gradual reveal.  

You walk the same walk to the beach, take more than a couple showers
seek out your usual spot in the sand, test the limits of your daily tan
become a regular at your favorite bar, work at the same cafe for (13) hours.

You will never notice it change,
nor the way you change with it.

Until you realize you’ve grown to love those around you
and rush to explore together the surprises of each new city
always today
Until you find yourself staring at the fire in the sky, learning to live
absorbed by the infectious joy of our town

Until you charge in, splashing fighting searching for yourself in the sea
Until you finally know that Guardamar will always be our home
even when we leave.

And when it’s over, you will miss it like no other.




Cathleen Chiu