There is something so deep and moving about water. Whether it be the ocean, a river, or a lake, everyone needs to experience that feeling of awe at least once in their life.

It’s something that runs deep into our core that makes us feel this way. Before any of us, our parents, or even grandparents were even thought of, water was the equivalent to life. People congregated around it. Built their lives near it. More importantly, it was our first main conquest. The ocean is a harsh, cruel mistress. Yet at the same time, is the most beautiful organism on the planet. If we wanted to explore new lands and expand our civilization, we had to conquer it. One doesn’t gain a true appreciation for things as we do when we are trying to defeat it. We had to understand every possible thing we could before we made the trek into the unknown deep blue.

Much like our first love, it holds on a piece of us to this day. While we are no longer dependent on close proximity to rivers or oceans, we still hold the upmost respect for them, whether we realize it or not.

Once we conquered the surface, we could then move to appreciate what happens underneath. It is absolutely equivalent to an alien world. Fish are the most diverse vertebrates on this planet. Each one so incredibly specialized for their niche. It’s one of the most truly impressive things in nature. They were the main source of sustenance coming from this monster that we just conquered. For that, we cannot express enough gratitude.

So go out to the water, anywhere at all, and spend some time there. Take a boat ride to the ocean, take a tube or a kayak on a river, or even go swim at your favorite spot. Go there, and I challenge you not to feel even a little bit vulnerable. But at the same time, you will feel this deep, magical connection with the water that promotes that fearfulness or uncertainty deep in your soul. The mystery that is water is still a part of us. While we can understand how these systems work in their most basic sense today with science and analysis, there will always be this romantic connection that bonds all of us with the unknown that is the water.