The reason I got on a plane and flew almost 5000 miles to Hawaii is unoriginal – my husband’s best friend was getting married. At the wedding the groom’s father had prepared a speech in which he stated something along the lines of “may the whale song stay with you”. I smiled and secretly rolled my eyes a little… the whale song… you mean, like on the cds that you can buy and meditate to? Come on…

A day later Stephan and Kazuko took us to Secret Beach. As we sat on the shore and looked out at the glistening sea the groom Stephan pointed to white spray rising out of the ocean. Astonishingly, the gusts of spray were coming closer. When I saw the first graceful curve of a whale’s back glide smoothly over the surface of the water and then disappear my jaw dropped. Stephan told me and my sister that if we wanted to hear the whale song, all we needed to do was jump in the water. Unsure, of whether he was making a fool of the city slickers, we dove in.

And there was music… it was so beautiful, unlike anything I had ever heard, and I stayed under as long as I could – until my lungs ached.

Now I know that the groom’s father’s wishes were not just some corny verbiage. They were a heartfelt wish. A wish I share for Stephan and Kazuko.

©Sarah Girner