Hope, and some sea water.

She stood there and thought back - from where she had been then, to where she was now. Two years ago, she had stood at the same shore, heard the same waves lap fervently, and gazed at the same horizon.

Again, she was thinking of how so much had changed in such a short span of time. Maybe change really was the only constant thing in this world. Maybe destiny existed, and everything was just meant to be. She would never know- and though she did care, it didn't bother her much. No amount of analyzing would change anything, for better or for worse.

It was getting cold, the evening was progressing. But she had no intention of leaving her spot. She felt rooted to the ground. Somehow, it wasn't the helpless feeling that she had the last time she was here. Somehow, as she felt the cold breeze blowing her hair into her face, she felt hope. She felt at peace with herself, with the world. She felt that she had learnt so much, and had slowly, maybe even painfully, learnt that the only way to live was by accepting life as it comes.

Perfection is impossible to achieve, and inner demons are hard to kill. Last time, she was discontent. She wanted more, wanted her past back. She closed her eyes, and tried listening to the world. Now she knew for sure that she would never want the last two years, or in fact, any part of the last many, to be taken away from her - there had been struggles, there had been giving up. But nothing could teach her those same, hard lessons.

She had no regrets. Standing there that night felt so right. The place brought back so many memories, some sad, some happy. As before, she was lost in the moments that had passed, so long ago. But this time, the memories made her happy. Instead of feeling a loss for what was, what would never be again, she felt a strange happiness that, at least, they had once been, these things had once happened - such wonderful, beautiful things, at this very place, with the people she had loved but lost.

She opened her eyes and looked at the vast expanse of ocean. There was so much to look forward to, and it was only just beginning.