Johannesburg - I made a promise to my brothers in a dhow, at a serene snorkelling spot in one of our travels.
The sail was in favour of the wind, and it danced to the melody of its breeze.
As above - the sky was clear, with no cloud in sight.
So below - the sea was peaceful and we heeded the ripple of the clear turquoise water on the sides of the dhow as it glided swiftly through the Indian ocean.
The sun was home on our dark skins, we bathed in it at the clearest spot of our stop.
I made a promise to my brothers in a dhow that a skilled local crew at the Tanzanian archipelago of Zanzibar somehow let me sail in the sea.
Sam, Raees and I had a blast confusing the locals that we were actual brothers, just to leave them with a vague look on their faces when they had to work out how a Black guy is a middle child with two Indian fellows as his siblings.
We were on vacation and confusion was part of our itinerary, we have always been comfortable with being misunderstood.
We didn't even create a “this one was adopted” backstory. We were the Bindian brothers (Black and Indian) for all they knew.
And for all I can remember, I could have made that promise a few days into our stay at Sultan Sands Island Resort when we walked through a forest to the nearest village to catch the local vibe.
We are no strangers to the slums.
The walk there though was an adventure. The moon was the brightest light in the forest, and treetops soaked most of it, a gentle wind whistled around the darkness of the forest and we could hear the songs of birds, and the chattering of the wildlife of Zanzibar.
Branches creaked while our feet shuffled through rustling leaves.
I promised my brothers a poetry show or to MC their wedding when they get married.
If you are reading this, let's have a toast, my brother Raees is already married, and may the sanctity of love shield him and his bride. May their souls journey through eternity with bliss and integrity. May their vows ferry them to the clearest spot of their ocean, where they will make promises their beings will be entitled to uphold. May they hold on to each other and feed from the warmth of their hearts.
I wish them their our shooting star, all would they need to do is look up and call for a better day when days are dark.
Or perhaps a moon to light up their forest when they go to the nearest village to catch the vibe. Or a sun, let it be home on their skin, let them bathe in it at the clearest, most serene snorkelling spots in their never-ending ocean of love. To Mr and Mrs Naik!