HOPE – A MISSION AND A MESSAGE

It’s been now more than six weeks since I returned home to the island of Tenerife, in the beautiful Canary Islands, after spending almost three weeks in Northern Germany, in a magical island called Poel, washed by the waters of the Baltic Sea.

And still, I cannot forget the kindred friend that I made: a young humpback whale called Hope. Every time I think of him, which is every day, my heart is still in pain, hoping that some small miracle will prove that he is finally swimming in the deep waters of the Northern Atlantic Ocean.

Those weeks that I spent in Northern Germany are deeply rooted in my heart and soul. I went to help rescue this magnificent whale that had been stranded in the shallow waters of the Baltic Sea for more than a month. Many “experts” from museums and different organizations said that it was better to leave him there, and let Nature run its course.

Of course, what they meant was to let him die, which would probably take weeks, even months. A cruel death for a wonderful creature that had been caught in the nets of some fishing ship, and lost its migrating course, swimming south until he got stranded in the shallow waters of the Baltic Sea.

Is this what “humanity” means for some?

To let a whale die that was entangled in nets made by humans? I don’t get it. We do the damage, and then they tell us that the most human thing is to let her die in agony, to let Nature run its course. But if it was for Nature, this whale should have never be stranded in the Baltic Sea! We did this to him, not Nature!

But of course, we cannot generalize the human condition, because where there is evil, there is also goodness. And that goodness came in the name of a man called Walter Gunz, who truly believed this magical creature deserved a chance to live a full live.

Thanks to him, I went to Poel Island. And when I first met Hope, and I sang to him, touched him, heard what he had to say, I discovered more than I had ever expected. A frightened and confused whale, but with such a strong will to live!

Hope really touched my heart and soul, and more. We spoke of so many things: of life, of the pain he felt when he was separated from his pod, his family. Of how he couldn’t understand why he was caught in a net that changed his destiny, when the only thing he wished for was to live free in the oceans, grow up, have a family, and enjoy the simple things that make life worth living. And day by day, our friendship grew stronger and stronger. We made a bond, and I told him about this plan to take him back once again to the deep waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. And he trusted me. He trusted everyone that formed part of this wonderful rescue mission.

But Hope had arrived to Poel with a mission and a message that would change the lives of millions around the world. He became a symbol of what we humans can achieve if we get together for a good cause. In a world torn by wars, injustice, lack of kindness and empathy, and where money dictates the fate of millions around the world, Hope became a beacon of light.  Because he reminded us of the true treasures of life. Those that you cannot buy or sell: health, time, kindness, empathy, family, friendship. Even unconditional love.

Many will ask themselves why am I writing these words?

Because I can feel and see that many people are still suffering, that the circus that we are building in the viral nets is not helping anyone. We feel sad, because we still don’t have closure in our hearts. And yet, Hope’s mission is now crystal clear: he came to prove what we are made of. And that is something that each of us will have to face when we look ourselves in the mirror. For you can lie to others, but you cannot lie to yourself.

And as we wait for the final proof that will let us know if the story of Hope has a sad ending, or if he is finally swimming in the deep waters of the open ocean, I hope these humble words will bring a little relief to so many hearts around the world that are still aching. To realize that we stand all together, bonded by Hope, and while we wait for closure, to never forget that this amazing creature changed our lives forever.

For I know that Hope will live in my heart and soul, forever, no matter how this beautiful story ends. He changed my life for good… without asking for anything in return.

I love you Hope, wherever you are. I know I will love you forever…